Summer Nights
by Jenny0719
Summary: Bella Swan moves to Chicago with her son and Jacob Black. She then meets Edward Cullen and falls in love. But someone doesn't want Bella and Edward to be together...
1. Chapter 1

**I do NOT own Twilight or anything else Twilight related. **

**There will be LEMONS and adult themes in this story. The story is rated M for a reason, however, I feel it would be more appropriate to be rated MA. SO IF YOU ARE NOT OLD ENOUGH TO READ MA/NC-17 STORIES, PLEASE DO NOT CONTINUE. I'd rather not get in trouble because someone else can't follow the rules.**

**I'm having to post this little note in all my fics: One of my stories was plagiarized. I may not own Bella, Edward, or any of Twilight's other characters, but this fic is mine--all words and concepts included. Please be respectful enough to realize that plagiarism is stealing...**

Chapter 1

**Bella**

"Eli Jacob Black! Get your butt in here now!" I blew out a breath in exasperation before continuing. "Your dad will be here any minute! You don't want to be late to the lake the first day out on his new boat, do you?" I was shouting at the stairs.

I rolled my eyes and walked away. He'd get down here when he was good and ready. The doorbell rang, and I turned to get it.

"I got it!" Eli cried, bounding down the steps.

I laughed at my five-year-old's abundance of energy. His jet black hair was bouncing, and his black eyes were gleaming with their typical mischief.

"Okay, okay." I went back into the kitchen and let him answer the door.

"Daddy!" Eli yelled, jumping into Jacob's arms.

"Hey, buddy. Where's Mom?"

"In the kitchen," he responded excitedly. "Daddy? Where's your boat?"

"It's behind the truck. See?" I could see him pointing to his black Chevy outside.

"Cool!" Eli yelled.

"Bells?" Jacob called from the front door.

"In here!" I quickly stuffed the cooler full of the things I would need to make sandwiches for lunch and drinks--lots of drinks.

Jacob walked into the kitchen, watching me as he leaned casually against the doorway. His black hair was tied back into its usual ponytail, his black eyes followed my every move. His tall body was extremely muscular, making any girl swoon--any girl but me, that is.

"What?" I couldn't stand for him to watch me any longer.

"Just wondering if you're trying to feed an army, Bells." He was chuckling under his breath.

I rolled my eyes. They were going to get stuck looking at the back of my head before the day was over.

"No. But you and Eli eat like pigs. You'll be starving by two if I don't pack what seems like way too much. And we've already discussed staying out on the lake until dinner."

It was the beginning of summer in Chicago--our first summer in Chicago. Jacob had gotten a job as a jet mechanic at O'Hare and couldn't pass it up. Eli and I followed him from Forks. I couldn't bear for my son to grow up two thousand miles away from his father. Jacob had recently bought a boat and we were going to go on it with him today. I wasn't exactly sure this was something I would enjoy; I'd never been on a boat before.

"Is um, what's-her-name coming?"

I laughed. "Jessica. Yes, she's coming."

Thankfully for my sanity, I'd become friends with a girl at the restaurant I worked with. I had found a job as a line cook at one of Chicago's top five star restaurants. My training in Seattle as a chef was finally useful.

"Mom? Momma? Let's go!" Eli grabbed a hold of my sundress and started tugging.

"All right, already," I laughed.

I put the bag in the truck and made sure Eli was in his booster seat, buckled up tight, while Jacob loaded the cooler into the bed of the truck.

As we made our way to the boat launch, I turned to look back at my little boy. He was watching wide-eyed out the window as he watched the strange sights in this new city fly by. Now that he was here, I couldn't imagine my life without him. But that wasn't always the case.

I remembered Jake's twenty-first birthday clearly--most of it anyway. He had been dying to go out with my friends and I since I had turned twenty-one six months before. He and I had gotten a group of our friends to drive to Port Angeles and hit our favorite spots. My high school best friend, Angela Weber, drove since she opted not to drink that night. I used to wish for months that I had done the same.

We drank until the bars closed before making our way home back to Forks. After dropping Jake's friends Quil and Embry off, the night began to get a little blurry. I remember making it back to Jake's house, but I can't remember anything after that. That is, until the next morning.

I woke up in Jake's bed, tangled up in his long limbs. I took one look at our naked bodies and had a panic attack. I had lost my virginity and couldn't remember a thing--but then again, so had Jacob.

I smiled to myself as I thought of our reactions. We were in such denial, thinking that there was no way we would ever have actually had sex with each other. We stupidly believed that we had just drunkenly stripped out of our clothes and passed out. Three weeks later, we were proved wrong.

_"I can't look Jake. You do it." _

_We were sitting in the bathroom at my house, waiting for that little stick to tell us what our fate was._

_He blew out a breath. "I don't want to either."_

_"Please?" I pleaded._

_"Fine." He picked up the test and looked at it for a moment before his eyes bugged out of his head. "Oh, shit! Oh, fuck! Bella, we are so screwed!"_

_I felt my heart drop into my stomach. "I'm pregnant?" I squeaked out._

_"Yeah," he whispered, still looking at the test._

_I felt my eyes well up with tears, and I collapsed on the floor against the bathtub. "What am I going to do? I still have another year left of school!" I buried my face in my hands and began sobbing uncontrollably._

_After a while, I felt Jacob crouch down beside me and pull me into his strong arms. "We'll make it work," he said, quietly._

_"How?" I sniffled._

_"I don't know." He looked into my eyes seriously. "But we'll find a way. I promise." _

_I nodded my head. "Yeah, okay." I was having a baby._

_"Bells?" He was smiling._

_What could he be smiling about? I was trying to picture myself as a parent, but couldn't. I always imagined getting married and having children with my husband--not my best friend. _

_"What are you smiling at? Am I missing something? Because this is _not_ funny." I scowled._

_"No, it's not. That's why I'm smiling." I looked at him with a puzzled expression on my face. "You know that phrase, 'Fuck My Life'?"_

_I gave him a small smile. "Yeah."_

_"I think it applies in this situation."_

"Bella? Earth to Bella!" Jacob waved his hand in front of my face. "We're here."

I looked over at him and frowned. "Sorry."

"What were you thinking about?"

He was grinning widely at me. It didn't matter how old we got, I would always be a source of entertainment for him.

I blushed. "The day we found out we were having Eli."

He barked out a laugh. "Why?"

I shrugged. "I don't know." I hadn't thought about it in a long time.

I looked at my best friend and smiled. We had tried to be together after finding out I was pregnant with Eli, but I just couldn't make it work. We were never meant to be in each other's lives like that. Kissing Jacob felt like kissing a younger brother. It took one date for me to figure that out.

"Momma! Daddy! Let's go!" Eli had unbuckled himself and was bouncing around in the back seat of the truck.

"We're going, we're going!" Jacob replied.

We got the boat inspected and paid our docking fee before we uncovered the boat and loaded everything in it. I stepped back and looked at the speedboat, frowning a little again.

"You remember what I told you?" I nodded. I was not looking forward to the next part. "You'll be fine. I swear."

I sighed. "That's what you say now." I looked at him and grinned. "If I run it into the dock picking you back up, you can't be mad. You're the one who picked the clumsiest person in Chicago to drive your boat."

He snorted. "Who else am I going to pick, Bells? I don't know anyone else."

I laughed. "This is true."

"Bella! I'm so sorry I'm late!" I turned to see Jessica running up to us in a white terrycloth cover up over a black string bikini. Her light brown hair was pulled into a ponytail.

"It's okay. I was going to call you and let you know we were going to wait for you in the water. We were just about to drop in." I smiled at her, grateful to have found a friend in after only living here for a month.

We climbed into the boat. I put sunscreen on myself and Eli before I fastened his lifejacket. "You remember what I told you, baby?"

"Yes, Mom," he groaned. "Don't hang over the edge. Don't get up unless we're stopped, and tell Daddy when I have to pee."

I kissed his forehead. "Okay. You're ready." He flashed a bright smile at me before sitting next to Jessica.

Amazingly enough, I managed to get the boat into the water and picked Jacob back up at the dock without crashing in to anything. Jacob took the wheel, and we sped around the lake for a couple of hours before deciding to head over to one of the beaches.

I got out of the boat and helped Eli get down. I looked around and saw that the back of the beach was covered with trees and bushes. I watched the waves crash against the golden sand while Jacob helped Jessica out. It was barely noon and the beach was already lined up with other tethered boats. I felt the sun beat on my back and smiled. It had been so long since I'd felt the heat of the sun, warming my soul.

We ate our lunch before making our way down the beach. Eli jumped in the waves as we slowly walked through the crowd of people.

"Jessica!" We turned our heads to see a short, tiny woman with spiky black hair running over to us.

"Alice!" Jessica gave her a big hug before continuing. "I haven't seen you in so long!" She looked around. "I didn't know you and Jasper had a boat."

"We don't. My dad and my brother do."

I glanced back and Eli to make sure he was safe. He had stopped playing in the water and was making a sandcastle with Jacob.

"I'm sorry. Alice, this is a friend from work, Bella Swan." I smiled shyly at Alice as Jessica pointed over to Jacob and Eli. "Over there is her son, Eli, and his dad, Jacob." Jacob heard his name and grinned at us.

"I'm Alice Hale. It's really nice to meet you!" she said, enthusiastically before throwing her arms around me and hugging me.

"Uh, you too." The surprise of this stranger hugging me was evident in my voice.

"You guys should come and hang out with us! The guys are playing horseshoes, and Rose and I are so bored!" She was practically squealing.

"Uh, okay. It's fine with me, if you want to go over there, Jess."

Jessica looked at me and beamed. "Yes. Her brothers are gorgeous!"

I turned and called back to Jacob. "We're going up the beach a little if you two want to come."

Jacob looked at Eli. "What do you say, bub? Want to follow your mom?"

"I want to finish this first." Eli never looked up from his project.

"We'll meet you over there, Bells."

We followed Alice until we got to where her family was. "It's about fucking time!" I looked over to see a tall, muscular man with black hair grinning. My eyes widened behind my sunglasses at his massive size.

Standing next to him was a woman who was extraordinarily beautiful. She had long, blond hair and wore a tiny white string bikini. Her body was amazing; I immediately wrapped my arms around myself in self-consciousness.

Standing next to the large man--holding a horseshoe in his hand-- was a taller, blond haired man wearing yellow swim trunks. I looked to the other side to see an older blond haired man, who I guessed was maybe Alice's father. Standing next to him was a small, caramel haired woman. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her softly on the cheek. I felt myself smile and looked over to the man standing next to them.

I instantly felt my body freeze in place as soon as my brain registered the gorgeous stranger. My heart leaped in my chest, and I felt it speed up, pounding furiously against my ribs. I was unable to tear my eyes away from him; I just stared.

I couldn't tell much about his beautiful face other than his smile was the most amazing thing I had ever laid eyes on. My tongue involuntarily snaked out to wet my lips. I knew I was ogling him, but I couldn't seem to stop myself.

He had sunglasses on, blocking his eyes, and he was wearing a hat backwards, covering up what I assumed was shaggy, dark red hair. Or was it brown? I concentrated on the color and realized it was brown that had this coppery hue in the sun. I let my eyes trail down his glorious body and felt the heat flash through my core--I'd never felt anything so strong before.

He was tall and chiseled with lean muscle. His skin was smooth and pale. I looked at his stomach and found myself focused on his incredible six pack and the indent of his hip bones before noticing a tattoo on his ribcage on the left side. It looked like some sort of family crest. My gaze swept across his body again, and I saw that he had another tattoo of something written in Latin, going up his forearm from his wrist to his bicep. My eyes went back up to his face, and I noticed him watching me. I blushed and quickly turned back to Alice.

"Oh, shut up, Emmett." She turned back to me grinning. "I ran into Jessica and her friend Bella and asked them to join us." She pointed to the big man. "This is my big brother Emmett and his fiancée Rosalie Hale." She then pointed to the blond man next to them. "That's my husband, Jasper. He's Rosalie's brother." She turned towards the stake at the other side. "That's my dad, Carlisle, and my mom, Esme. And that's my other big brother. Everyone calls him Cullen."

I waved shyly at them. "Hi. Nice to meet you." _Cullen? What a strange name._

I stood at the side with Alice and watched as they finished their game and set up another one.

"Any of you girls want to get in on this? Someone's got to beat Cullen over there. Damn sand rat kicks our asses every time." Emmett's laugh boomed in the air.

I listened to the beautiful bronze haired man speak for the first time. "You're just jealous, Em." He took a pull from his beer and laughed, causing chills to run down my spine. His deep, velvety voice seemed to pierce right through me.

"Seriously, I'm done. Any of you girls want to take my place?" Emmett held out the horseshoes to Jessica and me.

"No. You don't want me to play, trust me." I waved my hands in front of me.

He laughed. "It's easy. All you have to do is throw it at the stake."

"No. That's okay. It's probably much safer for me to sit this one out."

He shrugged. "Suit yourself. Jessica?"

"Sure, I'll play." She took the horseshoes from Emmett and went to stand by the beautiful man. I just couldn't seem to get myself to call him Cullen.

Alice gently elbowed me and smiled knowingly. "My brother's hot, huh?"

"What? Which one?" I asked, laughing.

"The one you can't seem to keep your eyes off of."

I blushed. _Shit._ "Yeah. He's all right, I guess. I can't really tell with the hat and sunglasses." I was lying through my teeth.

"Oh, trust me. You'll like it."

* * *

**Edward**

"Where did Alice go?" I threw one of my horseshoes and ringed it.

"Fuck, Cullen! Stop doing that shit!" Emmett yelled at me, causing me to laugh.

"Emmett, language!" Esme scolded.

"I can't help it if there was nothing else for us to do in the desert."

I had enlisted in the Navy just out of high school, going through my commission at Annapolis before going through med school at USUHS. After I finished med school, I volunteered to be a USMC Devil Doc in Iraq. I spent the last three years taking care of those guys. In some ways, I wished that I would have joined the Marines instead of the Navy. I loved my training in the Navy, but I somehow felt like being with that group of men in Iraq was where I belonged. I had to remind myself constantly that if I hadn't joined the Navy, I wouldn't have been able to come back and work with my father as a general surgeon.

"Yeah, yeah. Blame it on the war." Jasper laughed.

I smiled broadly at him. I was getting ready to say something sarcastic back when I heard Alice's high soprano voice chattering away.

"It's about fucking time!" Emmett boomed at Alice.

I looked over to see her talking to her friend, Jessica Stanley, from college. I hadn't ever really talked to her, but I knew who she was. I looked over at the slender girl next to her and my heart thudded brokenly in my chest.

She had a royal blue bikini on that set off the creamy color of her skin perfectly. Her long, mahogany hair shimmered with red in the sunlight and was pulled up into a messy knot on top of her head. I paid closer attention to her body and saw that it was perfect--soft and feminine with just a little bit of muscle tone. My eyes ran up her gorgeous body and rested on her plump, pink lips. I felt my face break into a smile as I thought of all the ways that mouth could be used. I memorized her face and found myself wishing I could see behind her sunglasses into her eyes.

_I wonder what color they are?_

I couldn't seem to keep the smile off my face as I watched her. She was facing this way, but with those dark sunglasses on, I couldn't tell if she was looking at me or not. Suddenly, she tensed up and I knew she was looking directly at me. She whipped her head back over to where Emmett and Jasper were standing, but not fast enough for me to miss the blush that spread across her cheeks. One look at that beautiful pink tint and all the blood in my body moved south. 

_Get it together, Edward._

I hadn't been this attracted to someone in... Well, ever, actually.

"Oh, shut up, Emmett." She looked back at the girl and smiled widely. "I ran into Jessica and her friend Bella and asked them to join us."

_Bella. You are insanely beautiful, Bella._ My brain was screaming at my mouth to let out those few little words.

"This is my big brother Emmett and his fiancée Rosalie Hale." Alice then pointed everyone else out. "That's my husband, Jasper. He's Rosalie's brother." She turned towards me, and I still couldn't keep my eyes off of Bella. "That's my dad, Carlisle, and my mom, Esme. And that's my other brother. Everyone calls him Cullen."

_Damn, why did she have to use my military name?_

"Hi. Nice to meet you," Bella said, waving slightly. Her voice was the most amazing sound I had ever heard.

"Come on, let's finish the game," I heard Emmett say, but had yet to take my eyes off Bella. I suddenly was no longer interested in playing horseshoes.

We finished playing, and I turned to grab a beer.

"Any of you girls want to get in on this? Someone's got to beat Cullen over there. Damn sand rat kicks our asses every time." Emmett asked, laughing. I hated it when he called me that.

"You're just jealous, Em." I laughed to hide my annoyance before taking a long drink of my beer.

"Seriously, I'm done. Any of you girls want to take my place?" Emmett waved the horseshoes in front of them.

Bella answered him. "No. You don't want me to play, trust me."

_Yes, I do._

He laughed. "It's easy. All you have to do is throw it at the stake."

"No. That's okay. It's probably much safer for me to sit this one out." I gave her a funny look.

_What did that mean?_

Emmett just shrugged. "Suit yourself. Jessica?"

"Sure, I'll play." Jessica grabbed the horseshoes and came over to stand by me.

"Hi, I'm Jessica. I don't think we've actually ever met before." She giggled.

"Hi. Cullen. Nice to meet you." I didn't want to be rude, but she was not who I wanted to be talking to at that very moment.

We played a few rounds, Jasper and I winning of course, before I heard a little boy start yelling in our direction.

"Momma! Momma! You should have seen the sandcastle Daddy and I built! It was awesome!"

I looked over to see a little Native American boy running over towards Bella. Bella's face lit up at the sight of the boy. She crouched down and wrapped her arms around him. I felt my stomach drop, and my chest somehow felt like it had been torn in two.

_Shit. She's taken._

I shook the feeling off. I couldn't be heartbroken over someone I had just met, could I?

A man who was clearly the boy's father walked over to Bella and draped his arm around her shoulder. She smiled before she stepped out of his embrace. She and the little boy walked over to the cooler and pulled out a bottle of water. I watched her play with her son in the shade and felt my face break out into another smile. Seeing her interact with him just made her even more attractive to me. I'd never given much thought to having a family, but suddenly, I wanted it. More specifically, I wanted it with her.

_Whoa, slow the fuck down._

We finished the game and everyone walked over to where our lawn chairs and coolers were sitting. I picked up the horseshoes and pulled one of the stakes out of the ground.

"Hey, fat ass! Get over here!" Jasper yelled at me.

"Haha. Very funny. I'm coming." They were never going to let me live it down.

Bella had a confused expression on her face when I walked over.

"Don't call him fat ass!" Alice chided. I looked around to make sure Bella's little boy wasn't in ear shot--he was playing with some other kids at the rope swing.

Alice looked at me like she remembered something. "Oh, you're the only one I haven't introduced to Jacob." I didn't want to know his name. "Jacob, this is my brother, Cullen."

"Hey, man. Nice to meet you." I just nodded in response.

"Why did you call him fat ass?" Bella asked Jasper timidly.

"Oh." He laughed. "Before Alice saw you guys, this little girl came up to Cullen and asked him why he has so many tattoos."

She looked confused. "Two is a lot?"

"He has more than two."

I reluctantly turned around to show her my back side. I hated this part. People either loved it or hated it. I was praying Bella didn't hate it.

She looked at the Irish cross in between my shoulder blades, the scorpion on my left calf, and the USMC Devil Doc logo on my right calf. Luckily, she couldn't see my favorite eight bars tattooed low on the right side of my stomach of Beethoven's _Fur Elise_.

"I'm a sailor, what can I say?" She gave me a small smile that I couldn't decipher.

"So Cullen starts laughing at the little girl and asks her 'Why not?' She looked at him for a minute before she said 'I know why you have so many tattoos. It's because you're fat!' And then she smacked him!" He was laughing loudly now. "It was the funniest thing I'd ever seen!"

Jessica turned and looked at me. "You are so not fat."

"Thanks," I muttered.

Everyone started loading everything up and taking it back to the boats. I saw Bella's son walk over to me from the corner of my eye. I looked down to see him studying my tattoos.

"Hey, little man. What's your name?"

"Eli. Eli Black." He looked up at me with those big, black eyes. I instantly loved him.

"I'm Edward. You see something you like?" I grinned at him.

"What's that say?" He pointed to the writing that went up my arm.

I could feel Bella watching us. It was like my body instinctively knew she was behind me. "It's what we say in the Navy. It says 'Non sibi sed patriae'. It means 'Not self, but country'."

His eyes lit up. "You're in the Navy?! Have you been on a submarine?!"

_Smart kid_.

I laughed. "Yes. A few times. But I don't do that anymore. I'm a surgeon."

"Really?" He thought for a moment, frowning. "Were you in Iraq?"

I felt my eyes go wide. "You know about Iraq?"

"I saw it on TV at Grandpa Charlie's." He shrugged. "So were you?"

"Yes. For three years."

"Cool! Did you shoot anyone?"

I fidgeted nervously. _Were all kids this curious?_

"Eli!" I heard Bella's beautiful voice call from behind me. "Go find your dad and start going back to the boat. We need to get you home so that you can get a bath before bed."

He looked down at the ground. "Oh, all right." He looked so disappointed.

I quickly put my hand on his shoulder and crouched down beside him. "We can talk about this some other time, Eli," I whispered, smiling at him.

"Awesome! Thanks, Edward!" He took off running toward his father.

"I'm really sorry about that, um...Cullen, is it?" She bit her lip nervously. It was ridiculously hot.

"No. Edward, please. Everyone just calls me 'Cullen' because it's what I was called while I was on active duty. Edward's not really the toughest name for a guy in the military. It just kind of stuck with me." I cleared my throat. It was suddenly dry.

"I like Edward." She smiled at me.

"Thanks." I looked over towards where Eli ran off. "He's a really cute kid."

She beamed. "I think so. So, you're in the Navy?"

"Yeah."

"And you went to Iraq?" She looked puzzled.

"Yeah. I volunteered to be a Devil Doc for the Marines."

She smiled. "Oh, okay. I couldn't understand how a sailor would be stationed in a landlocked country."

_No wonder Eli's so smart._

I changed to subject to get away from my time overseas. "So...um...we're celebrating my birthday next weekend by going to Kendall's to watch the UFC fight, if you want to come."

Did I seriously just ask a married girl out? I looked down at her hand but saw no ring. But it didn't mean anything--she could have just taken it off because she was going on the lake.

"You should come, Bella!" Alice chimed in. "Jazz reserved a table and then we were going to go out afterwards."

"I'd really like to, but what about Eli?"

"Didn't you say that he was going to Jacob's next weekend?" Alice asked in confusion.

_She's not married?_ _Yes!_

"Yeah. I guess you're right." Alice grinned at her.

Eli came bouncing over towards Bella just then.

"I thought I told you to go to the boat with your dad!" She had her hands on her hips and was giving him a playful smile. I desperately wanted to be on the receiving end of that smile.

"I did! I asked Daddy if I could spend the night tomorrow night, and Daddy told me to come over here and ask you!"

She laughed. "I guess you can."

"Yay!" Eli ran back over to his father.

"Hey, why don't you come out with Rose and me tomorrow?" Alice asked Bella. I felt like I needed to leave, but I couldn't get my feet to move.

"Really? I haven't been out in so long. I don't think I'd be much fun." I watched that beautiful blush spread across her cheeks again and nearly lost it.

Alice laughed. "Please? It'll be fun!"

She looked at Alice for a moment while she considered. "Yeah, okay. Why not?"

They exchanged numbers while I continued to watch like a fool.

"Okay, I'll call you tomorrow, Bella!" Alice bounced off back towards Jasper. "Bye!"

"So..." I trailed off. I was so nervous around this girl I could barely think straight. "Are you going next weekend to Kendall's?"

"Sure," she smirked. Her brows knit before she spoke again. "I guess I should talk to Alice about it? I've only lived here for a month. I don't have any idea what Kendall's is or how to get there." She looked back and saw that Carlisle, Esme, Alice, and Jasper were already in the water on the way back to the marina. "Well, I guess I'd better go. I'll see you around, Edward."

The sound of my name on her lips sent sparks shooting throughout my body. I couldn't let her leave without making certain she'd be there next weekend.

"Hey, hang on a sec. Just give me your number and I'll call you about it. After all, I did invite you." My heart was pounding in my chest with the thought of her telling me no.

"Um, okay."

She recited her number to me as I programmed it into my phone. "What's your last name, Bella?"

"Swan." _Definitely not married. Point for Edward._

I grinned crookedly at her. "I'll call you next week, and we can make all the necessary arrangements." I looked at her beautiful face for a moment before I continued. "It was really nice meeting you."

"You too, Edward."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

**Bella**

Jacob had dropped me off at my townhouse before going back to his apartment. I gave Eli a bath and read him his nightly story before I got myself ready for bed and climbed under the covers. I closed my eyes and saw Edward's beautiful body standing in front of me.

_Who knew tattoos could be so sexy?_

And that crooked smile he gave me just before I left. I thought my knees would buckle at the sight. I idly wondered what color his eyes were, how he wore his hair. I let myself drift to sleep, still picturing Edward's glorious body.

The next morning, I slowly drifted into consciousness by imagining what it would feel like to trace my fingers along his tattoos. I could feel his strong muscles under my fingertips as I ran my hand across the inscription on his forearm; it would be so soft and smooth.

I don't know how long I thought of Edward in my sleep. I opened my eyes and found that my palms were sweating; my pulse was hammering in my throat, causing my ears to vibrate with its rhythm. The fire I felt racing through my veins slowly began to fade as I laid there, staring at the light that filtered through the curtains. I scrubbed my face with my hands and exhaled sharply. I had barely even spoken to the man and already my mind and body had been affected in ways I didn't know possible.

"Momma! Wake up!" Eli came bounding in my bedroom and hopped on the bed.

I laughed. "I am awake, sweetie. Did you sleep okay?"

"Yep."

I pulled him into my arms and placed a soft kiss on the top of his head. "Want to watch cartoons while I make us some breakfast?"

"Yeah!" He wiggled out of my arms and raced down the stairs to the living room.

I got up, brushed my teeth, and took a shower. I made the pancakes in the shape of Mickey Mouse that Eli loved so much. They were a pain in the ass to make, but watching his face light up when I placed the plate in front of him made up for it.

"Mickey pancakes!" Eli was wiggling in his seat with excitement.

"Yep. And I cut up some strawberries, too." He grinned at me.

I cut up Eli's pancakes and poured syrup on them before getting both of us some milk. I made myself a plate and sat down.

"Are they good?"

"Yeah," he mumbled around his food before swallowing. "Hey, Mom?" He looked so nervous.

I frowned. "What is it?"

"When can we see Edward again?" I felt my mouth pop open.

"You want to see Edward? Why?" He had barely spoken to him yesterday.

"He's so cool, Mom! He's been on a submarine and he shoots bad guys, and I bet he even has been on one of those huge ships Daddy and I saw on TV! He told me that he would tell me all about it sometime!"

One of my brows winged up. _He did, did he?_

"Well, I won't see him again until next weekend. But I can ask him then if you'd like."

I could just imagine walking up to Edward and saying 'Hey, my son loves you. You should come over sometime'. _Right._

"Kay."

* * *

Alice had called earlier in the afternoon and gotten my address, telling me she and Rosalie would pick me up at eight. Jacob had come by and picked up Eli at four. I was now all alone, waiting nervously for Alice and Rosalie.

I went over to my computer and checked my Facebook page. I was never really interested in things like this, but Angela had insisted that I start one before I moved. Now that I had been here for a month, I had over a hundred friends on my list from back home mixed with the few people I had met in Chicago so far. I couldn't believe how many people used this thing!

I logged in and saw that I had a message from Angela. I smiled as I read her description of things back in Forks, telling me some of the funny things that Jacob's Quileute friends did and describing her plans for her upcoming wedding to Ben Cheney. I frowned as I read the sentence informing me that I needed to get fitted for my dress soon. I hated any form of shopping whatsoever.

I wrote down the phone number and address of the bridal shop here in Chicago that had the dress Angela had ordered for me. As I wrote down the last letter of the address, I heard a popping sound on my computer.

I looked up and saw that I had a message in the chat box from Jessica. I should've turned the stupid thing off...

_I thought you were going out!_

_I am. Just waiting for them to get here. Why are you at home?_

_Just got off work. I found Cullen on here :) _

What, was she stalking him?

_Really? You send a friend request?_

_Yep. I'm looking at his page now. He's so freaking hot!_

I wondered if his page was set on private. I felt my heart pound in my throat again as I accessed Jessica's profile. I went through her list of friends and saw Edward's name on the third page. I read his status update and smiled. It was about going to the lake yesterday. He hadn't updated it yet.

I shook nervously after I clicked on his name and waited for his profile to load. After a few seconds of torture, the page loaded, and I felt my whole body sag in disappointment--it was set on private.

I looked at his profile picture and felt my eyes bug out of my head. He was wearing his fatigues and sitting in a chair, the desert as his background, laughing at something. His hair was sticking up everywhere on top of his head, like the wind had blown it everywhere, and was a lot shorter in the picture than it looked to be yesterday under his hat. His eyes were the brightest green I'd ever seen on a person.

After looking at them for a few seconds--or possibly minutes, I wasn't sure--I managed to tear my eyes away and look at the information on the page. It was all blocked from my view. Suddenly, I had to know more about this man. Was he in a relationship? Single? Did he always live in Chicago? How long was he in the Navy? How old is he? I wanted to know it all.

I debated internally for what felt like hours as to whether or not I should click on that little 'Add As Friend' button before I finally decided not to. I hated it when people I barely knew added me to their profiles, just so they could have another friend. I had barely spoken to this man. And if I was being completely honest with myself, I was terrified of it being rejected.

I logged out just as the doorbell rang. I was so on edge from looking--well, attempting to anyways--at Edward's profile, I jumped out of my seat.

_Relax, Bella!_

I opened the door to see Alice and Rosalie looking like something out of a magazine. I was going to look unbelievably plain next to them. Both of their bright blue gazes raked up and down over my body.

Rosalie looked at Alice and grinned. "You were right, we did need it."

Alice smiled at her knowingly. "Yep. Hey, Bella!" Her tiny body pushed past me and into the living room. She was a lot stronger than she looked.

"Here, put this on." Rosalie handed me some sort of floral print tank top.

"I love your jeans!" Alice exclaimed. "Where did you get them?"

"Uh, the mall?" _What was going on here?_

"Of course you did! But what store?" Alice was looking at me expectantly.

"I don't remember."

She eyed me doubtfully for a moment before she shrugged her shoulders. "Okay, Rosie! Let's get to work!"

* * *

I left the house looking completely unlike my former self. Alice had put some goop on my hair that made it cascade down my back in loose waves. Rosalie had done my makeup, leaving my face bare except for a little blush and nude colored sparkly eye shadow and mascara. She put a deep red lip stain on my lips. The colors complemented my skin perfectly. The floral tank top she had made me wear fit perfectly. I'll admit it--they were geniuses.

We were sitting in this little diner across town. I looked around and saw all the 50's memorabilia and instantly fell in love with it.

"This place is great, you guys."

Alice and Rosalie smiled at me. "The food is awesome. They've got the best cheeseburgers in town," Alice said, excitedly.

Rosalie looked at me and smirked. "So what's up with you and Cullen?"

My eyes wanted to pop out of my skull again. "What? Nothing! I just met him!" I was a little too adamant and made myself obvious.

"Right. I saw you two eyeballing each other all day yesterday. That boy hasn't stared at something so hard since..." She thought for a minute. "Well, I can't remember him looking at anything the way he looked at you."

I felt my face get hot. "I don't think he was looking at me."

"Are you kidding?! He couldn't keep his eyes off you!" Rosalie protested.

"And don't forget, Bella. He invited you to watch the fight next weekend with us. I was going to, but he beat me to it. That tells me a lot right there."

My brows knit. "What do you mean?"

"She means that she is the most energetic, excitable person you will ever meet, and I'm pretty sure she had every intention of trying to hook you and Cullen up yesterday. Cullen took the fun out of it for her." Alice shot Rosalie a glare. "I'm just saying. You love to play matchmaker."

"No! I meant that my brother hasn't dated anyone since he got back a few months ago. He's had lots of girls come over and talk to him when we go out together, but he's never asked for anyone's number until yesterday. He got your number _and_ asked you out." She popped a fry in her mouth. "It had nothing to do with me playing matchmaker." She grinned smugly.

"He didn't ask me out. It's not like next weekend is a date or anything." I looked down at my plate to hide my disappointment.

"Yet," Alice qualified.

I looked up and my eyes narrowed. "I get the feeling you're going to try to set up something."

"Damn, girl. She's got you pegged." Rosalie was laughing.

"I'm not doing anything." Alice looked at me with wide, innocent eyes.

I stared into those pretty, cobalt blue eyes. "Keep it that way."

She pouted for a moment before looking around. "Are you two finished yet?" We nodded. "Then can we go? I want to show Bella all the good places to go around here." She looked at me seriously. "We will _not_ be going anywhere near those touristy places." She shuddered dramatically.

I looked at my watch. "Okay," I said laughing. "But I want to check on Eli first. Give me five minutes?"

"Sure."

* * *

We pulled into the parking lot and made our way to the bar across the street. I took one look at it and almost walked away. It was a dive.

"Where are we?" I asked, nervously.

"Willy's. It doesn't look like much, but it's great. You'll like it, I promise." Alice was beaming at me.

"If you say so..." I wasn't so sure.

We walked in and made our way through the sea of people to the bar.

"Kate! Irina!" Two beautiful blond girls turned around and smiled at Rosalie. "We need some drinks! Now!"

"What do you want?" The blond with the shorter hair walked over to us.

"Hmm. What do we want?" Rosalie looked at me. "What do you like to drink?"

"Um, I don't drink much. What's good?" I hadn't really drank since Jacob's twenty-first birthday. I didn't know what new drinks had been invented in the last six years.

Alice and Rosalie just looked at me like I'd grown another head. "Wow. Um, okay." Alice turned back to the bartender. "Irina, could you please make us some of your famous pear martinis?"

"Sure thing."

I watched Irina expertly make our martinis before setting them on the bar in front of us. I tentatively took a sip of mine.

"Oh, my God! These are fantastic!" It was like eating a pear.

"I know!" Alice said as we walked over to a table and sat down.

"So spill. I have obviously figured out that you're single from our conversation earlier." I nodded. "So what's the deal with you and the dad?" Rosalie was eagerly waiting for me to spill my guts.

"There is none. He's been my best friend since high school." I shrugged.

"Well, then how did Eli come about? 'Cause I can tell you right now, I've never slept with my best friend."

I sighed. "We were drunk. It was Jacob's twenty-first birthday."

Alice's eyes widened. "Wait a minute. You got drunk and had sex with your best friend on his birthday? And got pregnant?"

"Yeah. That's pretty much what happened."

Rosalie pondered this for a moment. "So that was it? You've never done anything since?"

"Ew. No." They both looked at me incredulously. "We did try to see if we could be together after I found out I was pregnant. Jacob took me out on a date and kissed me goodnight. It was like kissing my brother."

"Do you remember sleeping with him?" Alice asked.

"No. Thank God. It probably would have ruined our relationship. And I can't imagine Jacob not being in my life."

Rosalie took a sip of her drink. "So, what brings you to Chicago?" She hurried along before I could answer. "And where are you from anyway?"

"Forks, Washington. It's a little town a few hours from Seattle." They both nodded their heads. "And I moved to Chicago because of Jacob. He got a job at O'Hare, and I didn't want Eli growing up without his father in his life, and to be honest, there wasn't much in Forks for me. Just my dad. So, we moved out here, too."

"Bella Swan, you are a fantastic mother. You gave up your life in Forks so that your son could be near his father. Not many people would do that." Rosalie raised her glass as she said this.

"Thanks," I said, blushing.

We finished our drinks and Alice got up to get us more.

"Get up!" She hissed as she came back with Irina, who was carrying our drinks on a tray.

"Why?" I was extremely confused.

"They turned on the funlights!" She giggled.

"The what?"

"Up there." Rosalie pointed to the disco lights that were swirling above the dance floor.

"Let's go!" Alice walked away before we could say anything back.

"Come on, Bella. Let's dance!" Rosalie was grinning from ear to ear.

_Crap._

"Oh, all right. But I'm warning you. I'm extremely clumsy. I'll probably look like a total moron."

"Not with us, you won't."

* * *

**Edward**

I sat at the computer, checking my e-mail when I felt my cell phone buzz in my pocket. I checked the caller ID and saw that it was James, one of the Marines I was stationed with in Iraq.

"What's up?" I said, answering it.

"Where are you, dude?"

"Home," I said, simply.

"Get your fucking ass out of that house and meet me at Willy's!" I could hear laughter in the background.

I glanced at the clock on the monitor. It was just after eleven. "Yeah. All right. I'll be right there."

I quickly changed into a blue polo and distressed jeans, putting on my white Skin hat on the way out the door.

I pulled into the parking lot and found James' silver Chevy truck. I parked my Volvo in the spot next to it and got out at the same time as James.

"Why in the hell were you at home on a Saturday night?" He was grinning at me.

I shrugged. "I don't know. I just didn't really feel like going out."

We walked into the bar and James immediately walked over to a group of girls he knew. I really liked him, but he was the biggest slut I'd ever met. It was all about the chase for him. Once he'd gotten a girl in bed, he was done with her. And yet everyone he's ever slept with is still just as happy to see him as they were before. I had no idea how he did it.

I quickly scanned the crowd, seeing a few people that I knew, before my gaze landed on the most beautiful thing I had ever witnessed. In the middle of the dance floor, dancing with Alice and Rosalie, was my beautiful Bella.

_She's not yours, you moron. She's Jacob's. _

Her long hair swung gracefully as she swayed her hips to the music. Her face was flushed with excitement and her skin was dewy with sweat. She looked so sexy, I felt my dick harden and press against the zipper of my jeans. I stood there watching her for a few minutes before James came back over.

"Hey, there's your sister! Let's go say 'hi'." Before I could protest, he was gone, walking over towards them.

"Shit," I muttered. I could feel the nerves build in my body again.

_My God, Cullen. You've been in a war._ _She's just a girl. You need to chill the fuck out._

Alice saw James and me and squealed. "What are you guys doing here? I thought you weren't going out tonight?" She gave me a hug before she hugged James.

"James convinced me otherwise." Now that I'd seen Bella, I was glad he called.

"Yeah. Took a whole lot of convincing there, Cullen."

I ignored James' sarcastic comment and looked at Rosie, smiling. "You look great, Rosie."

"Thanks!" She beamed back at me.

I looked at Bella and saw her incredible chocolate colored eyes for the first time. I struggled not to make my attraction to her obvious.

She stood there for a moment, grinning, before she said something. "Hi!"

"Hi." I didn't know what else to say.

I quickly turned and walked over to the bar. I found an empty seat and ordered a beer from Kate. I looked at the guy sitting next to me and realized I knew him from high school. I made idle chit chat with him for a while before I felt that familiar charge in the atmosphere, and I knew Bella was close. I could _feel_ her behind me.

_Talk to her you idiot!_

I heard her order two more pear martinis and knew she was watching me as she waited. But I just couldn't make myself turn around. I saw Irina put the martinis in front her out of the corner of my eye. I knew she had finally walked away when the electricity that seemed to pulse through the air dissipated. My entire body felt the loss. I tried to rid myself of the feeling and concentrate on the conversation I was having, but it was no use.

I excused myself and started to walk over to where Bella was dancing with my sister and Rosalie but was stopped on my way.

"Cullen!" I looked over to see Tanya rushing over to me.

"Hey, Tanya. How are you?" I was nothing, if not polite.

"Great! Who are you here with?"

"James." I looked past Tanya over at Bella. I could see that she was watching me closely.

"Oh! Where is he?" She looked around the bar.

"I don't know. He's here somewhere." It was possible he left. He was just that kind of guy, always bouncing around from one place to the next.

She ran her hand across my forearm and looked up at me seductively. _So, it was going to be one of those nights._ I was no longer interested.

"Hey, let's get out of here. I could really use some time alone with you." She winked.

"No, not tonight. I see Alice and Rosalie over there. I'm going to see what they're doing." I gently squeezed her hand as I removed it from my arm. "I'll talk to you later."

"See ya." She walked back over to where her group of friends were.

I was going to have to do something about that. Tanya's family owned the bar and she and her sisters, Kate and Irina, helped out by bartending on the weekends. Our families had known each other for years. Ever since high school, Tanya and I had been 'friends with benefits', fooling around and sleeping together whenever neither of us was in a relationship or whenever I was home visiting. I suddenly found the thought of touching Tanya like that revolting.

"You going home with Tanya tonight, Cullen?" Rosalie looked irritated.

"Nope." I gave her my best smile. "I'm going home with you."

"Haha. Funny." She rolled her eyes.

I looked over at Bella. "Hey," I said, awkwardly.

_What the hell is wrong with me?_ I usually had no problem getting girls. Talking to the opposite sex always seemed to come naturally to me. This girl tied my tongue in knots just by being in the same room as me.

"Hey." She smirked at me. "So, I hear you're Facebook friends with Jessica now."

I laughed. "Yeah. I guess she found me sometime last night." I shrugged. "Like I was going to turn her down."

She smiled. "Well, that was very nice of you, Edward."

"Thanks." I stood there silently for a few seconds. "So I bet Eli crashed last night after being out all day."

I saw her eyes light up as I mentioned her son. "Yeah. He was so exhausted, he barely made it through the book I read him."

I smiled at her. "He's at his dad's tonight?"

"Yep." She took a sip of her drink and licked her lips. It was all I could do not to lean down and kiss them. "So, um, Edward? Are you dating anyone?" She seemed extremely nervous now.

I smiled reassuringly at her. _If only she knew._ "No. There was this girl at the beach yesterday though." I could feel my palms sweating again at the huge opening I gave her.

I watched her face fall before she quickly recovered. The nerves I felt were suddenly gone now that I knew she was interested in me, too.

"Oh, really? Did you ask her out?" She plastered a fake smile on her face.

"No." I couldn't believe I was about to say this. "I think she's taken."

"Oh." She looked down before continuing. "Did you talk to her before I got there or something?"

I smirked at her. "No. You were there."

Her forehead creased. "How did I miss this? I thought you were standing with us the whole time."

"I was." I grinned crookedly at her.

"Then who was she?" She seemed extremely interested to know who it was that got my attention.

Suddenly, the nerves were back. I felt my heart pounding furiously in my chest, and I took a deep breath before answering her.

I leaned down to her so that my mouth was hovering over her ear. She smelled so incredible, I had to keep myself from trailing my tongue over her skin and tasting her.

"You," I said, quietly.

I pulled back to gage her reaction. Her eyes widened as she looked at me, before she broke out into a wide grin. I exhaled in relief.

"Edward, I'm not taken." She blushed as she said this.

"You're not with Jacob?" _Holy shit._

She giggled. It was beautiful. "No. He's like my brother."

"Then how...?" I trailed off in confusion.

"It's a long story. I'll tell you about it sometime." She grinned wickedly at me. "But I'd like to dance right now. Dance with me?"

I nodded and wrapped my arm around her tiny waist. We swayed our bodies to the music, moving together perfectly. The electricity that flew through my veins was intoxicating. I never wanted to let her go. Song after song after song played, but I never tore my eyes away from hers. It was as if no one existed in this world but us. I was vaguely aware that we had been dancing for hours when I heard 'Last call' being yelled. I didn't break free from Bella's grasp until the last song on the jukebox was over.

I looked down at her and smiled. "Can I call you tomorrow?"

"Yeah," she breathed, causing the smile on my face to widen.

I took her hand and walked her out to Rosalie's BMW. The electricity that I had felt while we were dancing intensified. It felt like my hand was on fire, burning painlessly from her touch. Rose and Alice quickly got in the car, leaving Bella and I outside alone.

"I had a lot of fun, Bella." I hadn't let go of her hand yet.

"So did I. You're a great dancer."

"Thank you. So are you." This caused her to blush. I reluctantly pulled my hand away from hers. She needed to get some sleep.

"So, I'll talk to you tomorrow?" She asked, biting her lip.

"Yes." I leaned down and kissed her cheek. "Bye, Bella."

I heard her breath hitch. "Bye."

I waved down at my sister and Rosalie who both had huge grins on their faces. They had watched the whole thing. I shook my head and chuckled as I made my way to my Volvo. I looked next to my car and saw that James' truck was gone. If only he had been here. He had been trying for months to find someone I would take out on a date. I would have to let him know his services were no longer needed. I had found Bella.


	3. Chapter 3

**I'm updating with two chapters tonight because this chapter sets up the next. Anyways, I got some feedback and some story alerts so I'm going to keep writing it and see where it goes.**

**As always, thanks for the reviews!**

* * *

Chapter 3

**Bella**

"Come on, Jake! Get off!"

Jake had brought Eli back home and was now sitting on my lap, wiggling his bony ass into my legs.

"No, not until you tell me why you look so stupidly happy." I could feel his body shake with his laughter.

"I'm not stupidly happy!" I protested. "Now seriously, Jake! You're hurting me!" I giggled.

Of course I was stupidly happy. Edward liked me, too.

I thought about last night, trying to distract myself from the two-hundred-and-some-odd-pound man that was sitting on top of me. I still couldn't believe I had asked Edward to dance.

_Note to self: alcohol makes all your inhibitions disappear._

But dancing with him was amazing. We fit perfectly together; my body seemed to shape itself around his. And I could hardly regret doing something that resulted in Edward asking me if he could call me today.

I heard Eli laughing as he came down the steps from his bedroom. "Daddy, what are you doing to Momma?"

Jacob leaned back against my chest, cutting off all my air. "I'm trying to get her to tell me something."

"Jake...can't...breathe!"

He looked down at me. "You going to tell me?"

"Yes," I lied.

"Bella." He didn't move. He knew me too well.

"Fine! Okay!" I was quickly running out of air.

He sat up and hopped off me, taking the spot on the couch next to me.

"I'm waiting," he grinned.

I felt the heat rise to my face. "Okay, well, you know that guy at the beach with the tattoos?"

"Yeah, Cullen." His brows knit. "Why?"

"Um, at the beach he invited me to go out with all of them for his birthday next weekend and I ran into him last night-"

"You didn't go home with him, did you?" I just glared at him. "Okay, okay. It was a stupid question, sorry. Continue." He flashed his ultra white teeth at me.

"Anyways, I found out he was interested in me but thought I was taken-"

"By who?" I looked at him pointedly. His eyes widened as he comprehended this. "Me?"

"Yes. Jake, are you going to keep interrupting me?" I was beginning to get annoyed.

"No. Sorry." He waited for me to continue.

I huffed out a breath. "So we danced together all night long and afterward he asked if he could call me." I felt my face break out into a smile at the thought.

Jacob's brows knit. "You like this guy, too?"

"Yeah," I breathed. "I've never felt anything like this for anyone before."

Jacob looked over at Eli, who was playing with his cars on the floor, before speaking. "I don't know about this, Bella. I mean, I don't want to be an ass, but I'm not sure I want that guy around my son."

I felt the anger build in my body. "Are you freaking kidding me? Jacob Black, I have never in my life told you who you could and couldn't bring around our son. I trust your judgment! And I would expect the same in return! And what is wrong with Edward, exactly?"

"Edward?" He was laughing. "No wonder everyone calls him Cullen." He snickered some more before he finally noticed I didn't think he was funny. "All right. I get your point. But Bella, he's been in a war. Just be careful. A lot of those guys come back damaged."

I nodded my head. "I understand your concern, Jacob. But you didn't hear him talking to Eli at the beach. He was great with him. And Eli practically worships him already. " I bit my lip, afraid to continue.

"What else?" Jacob smirked. He knew me too well.

"Jacob, do you know how hard it's been for me? Every guy I've ever dated ends up taking one look at Eli and running away. Edward didn't do that. He knew about my son from the very beginning and he _still_ is interested."

Jacob's face turned down in guilt. "Knowing me really screwed up your life, didn't it Bells?"

I reached over and squeezed his hand. "No. Not at all. I got the most amazing child from knowing you. Yes, things are more difficult for me than they would have been if he hadn't come along. But I could never wish for my life any other way. Every guy that ran away before just proved they weren't good enough to be in my life." I needed to lighten things up a bit. "Now, what do you say we kick our son's butt in Mario Kart?"

"Hey! I heard that! Momma you can't beat me! You stink!" Eli hopped up from where he was playing on the floor and ran over to get the remotes out.

I laughed at my son's selective hearing. "Eli! I do not! I am an excellent driver."

Jacob snorted. "Bells, you can barely keep your cart on the track."

I narrowed my eyes. "We'll just see."

* * *

Three hours later, I finally managed to win one race. After admitting defeat, I made dinner and practically shoved Jacob out the door. I still hadn't heard from Edward and was beginning to wonder if I had just imagined the attraction between us.

After Eli and I finished eating, I got him bathed and in the bed. I got myself ready for bed, got my cell phone--because I was still hoping Edward would call--and my laptop and curled up in the bed.

I quickly checked my e-mail, answering a message from my dad, Charlie, before checking my bank account and Facebook page. Once I logged in, I saw that I had a friend request. I curiously clicked on the friend request, and could swear I heard my jaw hit the floor. It was from Edward, with a personal message attached.

_Hey you. Can't wait to hear your voice tonight._

_He was going to call? _

I confirmed the request and clicked on his page. He had recently updated his status to say 'Danced with the most incredible girl last night...' I felt my heart flutter in my chest as the smile broke across my face. I read the comments underneath it. Every single one of them asked 'Who was she?' in some form or another.

I looked further down and saw that there was message after message from people I didn't know, along with some pretty funny ones from Emmett and Jasper. Apparently, Edward is a popular guy. I glanced over at his friend lists and noticed he had over five hundred friends.

_Good God! How does he keep up with them all? _

After taking a stroll through his pictures, drooling the entire time, I clicked on the box to write something and felt the nerves rack my body--I could barely focus on typing.

_What was it about this man that made me react this way?_

After three attempts, I finally managed to write him a simple message before logging off.

I shut down my computer, plugged the phone into the charger and set it on my nightstand, before deciding I was too wound up to sleep. I grabbed the remote and turned on the TV. As I scrolled through the channels, I realized I had forgotten to look at any of his information. I was sorely tempted to grab my laptop and look at it all, but decided that even though I desperately wanted to know more about him, I didn't want to learn it from the computer. I wanted to hear it all in that beautiful, velvet voice of his, along with the stories that went with it.

I settled on watching some mindless sitcom and snuggled deeper into the covers. I tried to concentrate on the show, but I couldn't get my mind to focus on anything else but the way Edward's lips felt on my cheek. My entire body heated up at the thought.

_What I wouldn't give to feel those lips against mine. To feel them trailing kisses across my skin._

I shook my head and concentrated on the TV. Thoughts like that would get me no where tonight.

I was just beginning to relax, when I heard my phone ring. I jumped up and reached over to my phone, grinning like a fool, before checking the caller ID. My smile immediately faded. It was Jessica.

I exhaled sharply and answered. "Hey, what's up?"

"Nothing. Did you have fun last night?"

More than I was willing to tell her. "Yeah. I did. Alice and Rosalie are great."

"Cool. Did you see anyone you knew out?" _What was she getting at?_

I decided right then I wasn't going to tell her anything about seeing Edward--much less that we danced together for hours.

"No, not really. Why?" I prompted.

"Well, I was just wondering if you saw Cullen out anywhere. I think he met somebody last night."

I was really hoping she hadn't seen the message I sent him earlier. "Would that be such a bad thing?"

"No. I don't know. I guess...I mean..." she stammered. "I was kind of hoping to go out with him. You know?"

"Well, he is pretty good looking." Incredibly good looking was more like it.

"I'll say. I wonder if I asked him, if he would say yes."

"Uh.." I looked for any reason to give her without giving myself away. "If he met someone, chances are he's not going to go out with you right now. He didn't seem like the type of guy to date more than one person at once." This was the truth, just not all of it.

"Yeah. You're right. So, do you have any plans for next weekend?"

I smiled. She was so easily discouraged. "Yeah. Alice invited me to go out with them again next weekend." Technically, it was Edward. But Alice had intended to invite me as well.

"Oh, what are you guys going to do?"

"I'm not sure. Listen, I have the early shift tomorrow and I've got to get Eli to the babysitter's before I go. Can I talk to you later?"

"Sorry, of course. I always forget you have a son."

I laughed at her ditzyness. "It's fine. I'll talk to you later."

"Bye."

I felt bad not telling Jessica about my potential relationship with Edward but I firstly, I didn't want to jinx it, and secondly, I didn't know what we were yet. If there was even an _us_. Until I knew for sure, I wasn't saying anything to anyone.

* * *

**Edward**

I rushed into the kitchen and threw everything I had in my hands down on the counter. I could put it away later, right now I had more important things on my mind than putting my scrubs and my gym clothes in the laundry room.

I had gotten stuck in emergency surgery, trying to put together the pieces of a man's organs back together, after he had been involved in a serious car accident. I had been in back to back surgeries all day, barely having time to fucking eat, much less call Bella.

Around eight, when I finally had a chance to grab a bite to eat, I accessed my Facebook page on my iPhone, sending Bella a friend request and a message. I updated my status so that she would know that I was thinking about her. I was hoping like crazy she would see it and know that I had every intention of calling her--I just hadn't had a chance yet. It just didn't seem right to send her a text saying 'I'll call you later'.

I went to the computer and checked my Facebook page. I quickly logged in and saw that Bella had written on my wall. My lips stretched into a wide smile as I read her message.

_Hey back. I'm waiting..._

I nervously pulled the phone out of my pocket and found her number, looking at the clock as I hit send. It was almost eleven. I prayed that I wouldn't wake her.

"Hello?" I could hear the smile in her voice when she answered.

I felt myself smile in response. "Hey. I didn't wake you, did I?"

"No. I was just getting off the phone with Jessica."

I laughed lightly. "Oh, yeah? What did you girls talk about?"

"Uh, you actually." She seemed uncomfortable.

"Did you tell her about us?" Was there an us? "I mean, about last night, or whatever."

_Fucking smooth, Cullen._

She giggled. "No. I didn't tell her anything. I probably should have though. I think she likes you."

"Why didn't you? Are you embarrassed to be seen with me?" I teased. I wasn't going to touch the subject of Jessica liking me.

"Edward, please. It would be more like the other way around." There was no way I was going to let a comment like that slide.

"Did I just hear you correctly? I would never be embarrassed to be seen with you, Bella. You were the most beautiful woman in that bar last night."

"Thanks." I would bet she was blushing right now.

"So, listen. I was wondering if you wanted to go out with me Wednesday night?" My heart was racing again.

"Yeah. I get off work at four. Jacob was planning to take Eli to the park after he got off work anyway, I could see if he wanted to just keep him overnight and run him to the sitter's Thursday morning."

I smiled. "Okay. Is there anything you wanted to do?"

"No. I don't really know what there is to do around here."

I laughed. "Well, there's more than I can show you on one date. Why don't we take it slow, since we both have to work the next day and just do dinner and a movie."

"All right. What movie did you want to see?"

I wasn't sure what kind of movies she liked but I had wanted to see this one for a month. "I haven't seen _The Hangover_ yet. Have you?"

She laughed. "No, but I hear it's hilarious."

"So have I. So, where do you live?" She gave me her address. "That's a nice area."

"Thanks. Where do you live?" I told her. "I have no idea where that is," she laughed.

"I'm sure. How do you like Chicago?"

I laid down on my bed and settled in for a long conversation with Bella. I wasn't ready to let her go. I wanted to know everything I could about her.

She exhaled loudly. "It's really great. Different. But great."

"What do you mean, different?"

"Well, I'm so used to rain! It's always so sunny around here."

I chuckled softly. "Where did you live before here?"

"Forks, Washington. It's a few hours' drive from Seattle."

That would explain the rain comment. "Got any family there?"

"Just my dad." She seemed sad to say this. "So, when did you decide to go into the Navy?"

"Senior year of high school."

"Really?" She was surprised. "Why?"

"I wanted to serve my country," I said, simply.

"Well, I thank you for that Dr. Cullen."

I chuckled softly. "You're welcome."

"What was it like?" she asked timidly.

"What was what like?" I didn't know what she was talking about.

"Iraq." She practically whispered the word.

"Long, hot, and boring."

She laughed. "Seriously!"

"I am being serious! Do you know the number one question I get about being over in Iraq?" I was so sick of answering it.

"No, what?" she asked, curiously.

"Just how hot is it over there?"

She giggled. "Really? Out of all the questions in the world someone could ask you about Iraq, that is the one you get the most?"

"Yep."

She was still giggling. "All right, so just how hot was it over there, Edward?"

I laughed. "Well, today it was ninety-five degrees outside. Ridiculously hot for June in Chicago. If you were to go outside with two to three layers of long-sleeved clothing and go jog a mile, that's how it hot it feels all day, every day."

"Wow." she breathed. "You lived in that for three years?"

"Yeah."

I thought back to my time spent over there. It took me months to adjust to the heat; it was like living in a sauna. And the sand. The sand got into everything--no matter what we did, we tracked it in and got it everywhere.

"So, using Eli's famous words, 'Did you shoot any bad guys?'"

I laughed at her words, but inside I was feeling the memory from those close calls. "No. That's what the Marines were for. The Navy and the Marines are partners. The Navy provides the Marines with transportation and combat support when needed and lends them our medical and dental personnel. There are times when we also train together. I could go into more detail, but I'm sure it would bore you." I heard her laugh softly. "It was pretty calm over there, for the most part."

"Really?" she asked, incredulously.

"Yes. Really. We had the occasional group of insurgents come near base, but for the most part the dangerous part was over. And when the guys were called out on a mission, I stayed behind." That wasn't exactly true, but she didn't need to worry about anything I'd done over there.

"Why?"

"Because, I needed to be alive so that I could treat someone who came back injured. All the surgeons did."

"Did anyone..." she trailed off. "Did anyone in your squad or whatever die?"

"Yes. Did you notice the five metal cuffs I wear on my wrists?" I normally hated talking about it, but with Bella, it wasn't so bad.

"Yeah, but I didn't pay much attention. I was too busy looking elsewhere." I was going to have to come back to that one.

"Well, it's the names of the guys I bunked with that were killed while I was over there. We were extremely lucky that there were only five. There were more casualties at the camp I was stationed at, but there were so many guys coming in and out of there from other battalions and squadrons, I didn't have a chance to know everyone there."

She took a deep breath. "I'm so sorry, Edward."

"Bella." I paused. "Don't be. It's part of it. We all knew what we were getting into when we enlisted."

"Yeah. I guess."

I needed to lighten this up a little. "Exactly where were you looking instead of at my wrists?"

She laughed. "Oh, God. This is so embarrassing."

"Oh, come on. I'll just tell you now, that Friday, I couldn't take my eyes off of your body. You look great for having a son."

"Thanks," she said shyly. I waited but she never said anything else.

"Bella, tell me."

"Fine," she huffed. "I was doing the same."

"Is that so?" I was smiling broadly. "Well, I guess being in the military did me some good then."

"Uh, you think?"

I laughed loudly. "So, I'm curious. I always get mixed reactions to the tattoos. What do you think of them?"

"Honestly?"

"Honestly," I repeated.

"I never knew tattoos were that sexy until I met you." I laughed. "How many do you have exactly?"

"Six."

"Where's the sixth one? Because I only saw five." I could hear the smile in her voice.

"Low on my stomach."

"Hmmm." _God, that sounded hot. _We sat in silence for a moment. "So did you just go and get them on a whim or did you put a lot of thought behind them?"

"I put a lot of thought into them. Every single one of them has a meaning behind it. I didn't want anything I'd regret." I paused. "By the way, I'm glad you think they're sexy."

"That's very good to know. So, what do they all mean?"

"Well, the inscription on my arm is Latin and means 'Not self, but country'. We don't actually have an official motto in the Navy, it's just something we say. The tattoo on my ribs is of the Cullen family crest, the Irish cross in between my shoulder blades represents my heritage, the scorpion on my calf is to remind me of my time in the war, and the tattoo on my other calf is the Devil Doc logo."

"You're missing one, Edward." _Damn._

"Okay, I've never actually told anyone about this one before. If you knew my brother and the guys I was with in Iraq you would understand why I've kept it a secret." I was not interested in being made fun of.

"Gee, you act like it's something girly like a butterfly or something."

I laughed. "Yeah, no." I took a deep breath before continuing. "I have my favorite eight bars of Beethoven's _Fur Elise_ low on my stomach."

She sat there for a minute, thinking. "You like classical music?"

"I like all music," I said, honestly.

"Do you play anything?"

"Piano and guitar." I could have sworn I heard her inhale a quick breath.

"Is that so?" _Was it my imagination, or did she sound turned on?_

"What does that mean?"

"Nothing, it's nothing," she said quickly.

"Bella, I have no idea what you're thinking. I wish I could see your face."

"It's beet red right now," she giggled.

"Meaning?"

I heard her breath blow over the phone. "I secretly have this thing for guitar players in rock bands."

Her voice was so seductive, I felt myself grow hard with the words. "Well, if this helps my position any, I was in a band in high school. I played the guitar."

"Shit," she breathed. "You've got to stop that."

"Stop what?" I was completely baffled.

"That sexy voice thing of yours. I can't think straight."

I had no idea what I had done, but didn't want her to think I was pushing her into anything. "Think I'm an idiot for getting a bunch of music notes on my body?"

"No," she said laughing. "I think it's cool. But I think you're an idiot for hiding it."

I laughed at her bluntness. "Yeah, I guess I might be."

"And I think you should have more faith in your family and friends," she scolded. I immediately felt guilty.

"Wow. I feel sorry for Eli when he does something wrong."

She laughed. "Sorry. I guess I did sound a bit motherly there."

I glanced over at the clock. We had been talking for thirty minutes.

"Nah. You're right. I should have more faith in my friends." I listened to her yawn. "You're sleepy."

"A little."

"I guess I should let you go. We both have work tomorrow and you have Eli to take care of." I suddenly hated that we both had to work. I could keep talking to her for hours.

"Yeah." She sounded sad.

"Bella, I don't want to let you go."

"No?"

"No. I really loved talking to you." I couldn't seem to get enough of her.

"I loved talking to you, too. To be honest, the thought of talking to you made me nervous. Well, everything about you makes me nervous."

"I make you nervous?" _Did I make her feel the same way she made me feel?_

"Yeah. I've never been so nervous around someone before."

"I'm sorry, I don't mean to." I couldn't tell what her nerves were from.

"There's nothing to apologize for. You don't intentionally do it. I just seem to get-" She cut herself off.

"Get what?" I prompted.

She took a deep breath. "All right. Here goes. My palms sweat and my heart pounds when I think about you. I look at you and my heart flutters in my chest. And when you touch me, it feels like fire races through my body. I've never felt that about anyone before."

"Bella, I fell all that, too. There's something about you that makes my body react each and every time I think about you. And when I'm near you, it's like my body senses your presence. I know you're there without even seeing you. It's like there's this...charge in the atmosphere."

"Wow," she breathed.

"Bella, I really like you. I can't speak for you, but I'm sitting here, talking to you on the phone and I have no desire to hang up. Not to mention all this apparent physical attraction that we have between us. It makes me want to see where this can go."

Now that I knew her body responded to me the same way mine did to her, I wanted to see if there was something more between us than just being physically attracted to one another. I couldn't explain it, but I just had this feeling that we would be incredible together--in every way.

"Do you really?" she asked, softly.

"Yes. Why wouldn't I?" I asked in confusion.

"It's just that no one I've ever met has wanted to actually _date_ me once they found out about Eli."

I couldn't believe what I'd just heard. _What a bunch of morons_. How could anyone not see how great those two were?

"Well, they were a bunch of idiots, then." I growled the words.

She laughed. "Thanks."

"Of course. So I'll call you tomorrow?" I was asking permission.

"Okay. I'll talk to you tomorrow then." I could hear her smiling.

"Bye, Bella."

"Bye, Edward."

I quickly disconnected before I could change my mind and start talking to her again. I got up and changed into some pajama bottoms and brushed my teeth. I laid back down and closed my eyes, thinking about everything we'd talked about. It was so easy talking to her tonight. I felt my lips pull up as I thought about how stupid I was last night, wasting all that time worrying about whether or not she was interested in me, too.

I fell asleep knowing one thing. It didn't matter where this _thing_ with Bella went. Just as long as I got to be with her.


	4. Chapter 4

**OK-If you haven't seen The Hangover yet, I suggest you do so. It is hilarious! I tried not to use too many lines so that I didn't spoil anything for those who haven't seen it.**

**Thanks for the reviews!**

* * *

Chapter 4

**Bella**

Edward called me every day before we went to bed. We talked for hours about anything and everything. Each time I hung up with him, my heart felt light in my chest, and I was grinning from ear to ear.

I was rushing through the house, trying to find something to wear on my date with Edward. I'd finally decided that I hated everything I owned. After throwing clothes around my room for what felt like hours, I finally settled on a pair of green twill pants with sequins running up the sides and a light yellow tank top. I slipped on my brown flip flops and checked my appearance in the mirror.

I never really wore makeup, but I put on a little mascara and some lip gloss that Alice gave me on Saturday so that I didn't look so...mom-like. I ran my fingers through my now stick straight hair--it had taken me almost an hour to get it this straight. I was so sick of blow drying and running the flat iron over it, that by the time I was done, I was seriously considering cutting my waist-length hair off.

I threw everything I needed into my brown purse just as the doorbell rang. I smiled broadly as I raced down the stairs to answer the door. Standing on my doorstep was my own personal god. He was wearing a gray Affliction shirt with black graphic designs all over it and a pair of jeans with holes in the knees. His hair was a disheveled mess on the top of his head. He looked like he'd just given some girl the ride of her life and then crawled out of the bed. I looked at his gorgeous face and saw him rake his eyes over my body appreciatively.

"Hi," I breathed, still smiling hugely.

"Hey. You look great. Your hair is beautiful." He flashed a wide grin at me.

"Thanks," I said, blushing. "You look really good yourself." I looked down at his shoes and giggled.

"What?" He looked down to his feet. He picked up one foot and shook it in front of him. "Hey, don't knock the skater shoes. They're awesome."

"If you say so." He held out his hand to me and I took it, feeling the sparks of electricity pulsing through my arm. "So where are we going?"

He walked us over to a shiny silver Volvo. "Well, we have two options available. I made reservations at my favorite steakhouse and my favorite seafood restaurant. It's your choice."

He opened the door for me and watched me sit down. His car smelled incredible. I could barely keep my thoughts in order as I inhaled the scent.

I looked back up at him. He was waiting for an answer, leaning casually against the door. "Um...it depends I guess. If you're really wanting seafood, that's fine as long as I can get something that doesn't involve shellfish."

"You allergic?"

I nodded. "Yep. Ever since Eli was born."

His eyes widened. "Really. Well, we can go to the steakhouse."

"But is that what you want?" I didn't want to go somewhere he didn't. "I mean, it doesn't matter to me where we go. I'm not picky. I even like shellfish, I just can't eat it without an epi pen. And that's not an option because I hate needles."

"The steakhouse is fine." He smiled at me.

"Are you sure?"

"Bella. Are you going to sit here and argue with me all night?" He grinned crookedly at me, causing me to lose focus on the conversation.

"What? Um, no I guess not." He looked at me quizzically before shutting my door and getting into the driver's side.

He started the car and pulled out of the parking lot. "So, you don't like needles, huh?"

"No." I shuddered. "Anything like that makes me queasy." I looked over at him. "I would never be able to do your job."

He laughed. "Ah, well, I wouldn't be able to do your job. I burn everything I touch."

"Really?" I giggled.

"Really. I can cook stuff in the microwave and maybe spaghetti. The kind with the sauce in a jar."

"How do you eat?" I couldn't imagine not being able to throw something together whenever I was hungry.

"I order take-out. Or eat cereal." He glanced at me. "Or I ask hot chicks out on dates." I could see him grinning crookedly as he watched the road.

"Oh, okay. I see. So you do this often, huh?" I teased.

"Oh, yeah. Every night." I laughed at him. "Seriously, I haven't been out on a date since I got home."

"Really? Why? Wait, how long have you been home? I don't think you've ever said." I couldn't imagine a girl telling someone who looked like Edward Cullen 'No', so I could only guess he hadn't done any asking.

"Since February. I just haven't found anyone I was interested in to ask out." He shrugged.

"Well, that makes me feel pretty good about myself," I joked.

"It should," he said grinning. "I'm a catch."

I laughed. "You're cocky, is what you are."

"Ha. Far from it." He pulled the car into a parking lot and maneuvered into a space. He looked over at me. "Do _not_ touch that door."

"Okay," I said slowly.

I watched him get out and come to my side, opening the door for me and held out his hand. I took it, shaking my head as I stood up.

"What? Can't a guy show a girl a little chivalry."

I blushed. "I'm just not used to things like that."

He looked down and held my eyes with his. "Bella, when was the last time you were on a date?"

I thought about it. Which was pathetic in itself. "Two years ago, I guess?"

"What?" he asked, incredulously. I merely shrugged. He stared at me for a minute before continuing. "All right, don't take offense or think I'm trying to get into your pants or anything." I raised my eyebrows. "But when was the last time you got laid?"

"Two years ago," I said, automatically, looking down at the ground.

"Holy shit."

"Yep." I was blushing now.

He pulled my chin up so that I was looking at him. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have reacted like that. If I embarrassed you, I apologize."

"It's okay. I know how pathetic it is. But it's like I said, I don't date. Guys usually run the other way when I mention I have a son."

"Hmm. I'm curious. Since the last date you went on and the last time you had sex are in the same time period, it's safe to assume it was the same guy?" He was grinning.

"Yeah. Same guy. I told him about Eli on the next date. Poof, gone."

He laughed. "But you got what you wanted out of him first, didn't you?" he smirked.

"Hey! A girl's got needs, too!" This caused him to laugh.

"That they do." His face turned serious. "Bella, you have to know I'm not going to disappear, right?"

"I'm getting that." I smiled up at him. "So when was the last time _you_ got laid?"

He ran his hand through his hair. "Uh...three weeks ago, maybe?"

"Are you serious?" _God, I'm such a nerd._

"Yeah."

"Well, now I _really_ feel pathetic." I looked over at his car.

"Don't. Please?" I looked back at him and lost all train of thought. _How does he do that?_

"All right."

"Let's go eat some dead animals, shall we?" He held out his arm to me and I hooked mine around it.

"Ew, that sounds disgusting." I scrunched up my nose.

"And that is incredibly cute." His finger touched the end of my scrunched up nose.

"Thanks." I blushed again. "I'm going to be permanently red before this night is over."

He laughed. "Get used to it. I say whatever's on my mind. Actually, I say things you wouldn't believe." He winked.

"So you're a stereotypical sailor?"

He gave the hostess our name. "Yes. I am." He paused. "Did you not pay attention to my brother? It's in my blood."

I laughed. "Yes, I did. Are you worse than Emmett?"

"Oh, absolutely not. I can hold a conversation without using a single curse word. Emmett cannot."

We were still laughing as we sat down. We looked over our menus for a few minutes before ordering.

"Hey, Bella?"

I looked over at Edward to see him smiling at me. "Yeah?"

His smile turned crooked. "Thanks for moving to Chicago."

I giggled. "You're welcome."

"I feel kind of like an ass asking this, but how old are you?" He ran his hand through his messy hair causing me to bite my lip. It was so hot.

I had to shake myself out of the daze he had put me in. "Twenty-seven." He nodded. "You?"

"I'll be thirty on Saturday."

"Wow, and you've been a doctor for how long already?" I took a sip of my water.

"Four years. I graduated med school a year early."

"Smarty pants," I teased."

He laughed. "You're one to talk. You seem pretty smart yourself."

"Thanks."

"Well, while I'm making an ass of myself, what exactly is your relationship with Jacob? Is he your ex?" He took a bite of his roll.

"No. Actually, he's like my brother. Eli was an accident."

His eyebrows shot up. "I think I need to know this story, Bella. I mean, I don't know how you do things over in Forks, but here in Chicago, we don't sleep with our siblings. Or people who we refer to as like a brother or like a sister." He used air quotations, causing me to practically spit out my water.

"Who uses air quotations?" I giggled.

He gave me a wide grin. "I do. Now, are you going to tell me the story or not?"

"Sure. It's not very interesting though."

He leaned forward. "Try me."

I nodded. "It was on Jacob's twenty-first birthday. He's a few months younger than me, so I took him out to all my favorite places. We got hammered and one thing led to another. I don't remember actually sleeping with him. At the time, all I knew was that I woke up naked in his bed." Edward snorted. "What?"

"I've been there. But I, thankfully, was smart enough to use protection in my inebriated state." I glared at him playfully. "I'm sorry. Go on, please."

"Three weeks later, we found out I was pregnant. Obviously, there's no way Jacob could ever deny Eli--not that he would. Eli doesn't look a thing like me, doesn't even act like me. He is his father, made over."

"This is going to sound crass, and I don't mean it that way--I'm just trying to understand." He looked at me pleadingly. "Weren't you on the pill? I mean, if I understand you correctly, you were twenty-one when this happened, correct?"

"Yeah. And no, I wasn't on the pill. Edward, you have to understand. I was a virgin until that night."

His eyes bugged out of his head. "Seriously?"

"Yep."

"Wow, Bella, I don't even know what to say to you. I can't even imagine what it must have been like to lose your virginity and get pregnant on the same night by accident. And not even remember it. I'm sorry? Is that what's appropriate here?"

He looked so cute, I laughed. "It's okay. It's not a big deal. At first it was, but not anymore. I love Eli and can't imagine my life without him." I changed the subject. "So, what's the deal with your family? What does everyone do?"

"My father, Carlisle, is a surgeon also. I kind of followed in his footsteps. We come from a long line of doctors and surgeons." I smiled at him. "My mother is just my mother. She was an architect before she and my father had me, but decided she wanted to stay at home and raise us instead. My brother Emmett is a policeman and believe it or not, Rosie is a mechanic." I felt my mouth drop open. She had never mentioned it Saturday. "Yeah. Alice is a personal shopper at Neiman Marcus. She's in school, majoring in fashion design. Jasper is studying to get his masters in psychology."

"How long have Alice and Jasper been married?"

"A year," he answered.

"When are Rosalie and Emmett getting married?"

"Next May, I think. It's up in the air. They haven't decided on where they want the reception or something like that." He shrugged. "What about you? Got any brothers or sisters?"

"No, it was always just me and my dad. My mom died when I was little and my dad never really got over it." I smiled sadly at him. It would have been nice having a mother growing up, but now that I was an adult, it no longer affected me the way it did as a child.

"Jesus, Bella. I'm so sorry. I just keep asking you questions that lead to sad answers. It's not exactly the conversation I wanted to have on a first date."

I chuckled. He was so incredibly sweet underneath all that muscle and tattoos. "It's all right. You had to find out eventually, right?"

"I guess so."

The waiter came over with our food, sitting our plates in front of us. Edward and I both eyed our own plates before looking at each other's hungrily.

"That looks really good," I said, pointing to his steak.

"So does that." He looked at my salmon.

"Want to share?"

He smiled. "Yeah."

We split up our food and put half on each other's plates. We ate dinner, laughing and talking the entire time. He asked me everything he could think of, from my favorite color and flower, to my best friend from high school. It was so natural, so comfortable between us. There was never an awkward silence; Edward filled every silent moment with a question or a joke.

"Are you ready to go?" he asked me, standing up.

"Don't you have to pay?"

"I already did," he said, laughing.

"When? I would have paid for my half!" I hated it when people spent money on me.

"No way, Bella. I asked you out, therefore I pay." He checked his watch. "We'd better get going if we're going to make it to the movie on time."

I nodded my head and began walking with him towards the car. I felt his hand reach over and gently grab mine, interlacing our fingers together. My heart skipped a beat with his touch and I looked over at him and smiled. The feeling that he sent coursing through my veins with his touch was amazing.

We made our way out of the restaurant and half way down the steps before I tripped, twisting our hands awkwardly and falling down the remaining steps on my ass. I felt my face flame up in embarrassment, even though I was on the verge of laughing.

Edward crouched down beside me, looking like he was about to laugh himself. "Are you all right?"

I nodded. "Did I mention I was clumsy?"

He grinned. "I think you might have mentioned something Monday night." He still looked like he wanted to laugh.

I started giggling uncontrollably. "You can laugh, it's okay." He started to laugh with me.

After our laughter died down, he held his hands out to me. "I'll help you up."

He pulled me into his arms, causing his intoxicating scent to wash over me. I suddenly felt dizzy as I breathed him in; I was fortunate he had his arm wrapped tightly around my waist. He brought one of his hands up to my face and cupped it gently. I felt myself instinctively lean into him as I looked into his scorching green eyes.

"I know the date's not over, but I have had an amazing time tonight."

I smiled. "So have I."

He leaned down toward my face, his eyes questioning. "Can I kiss you?" he whispered.

I felt the chills run all throughout my body thinking of those beautiful lips against mine. "Yes."

He leaned down slowly, never breaking eye contact until our lips finally met. My mouth parted with his and I felt the fire race through my veins again. His tongue traced across my lips before meeting with mine. As our mouths moved together, I felt his arms pulling me closer to him--molding my body to his. I wrapped my arms around his neck and ran my hands through his hair before gently tugging it with my fists, eliciting a small moan from him. We stayed locked like that until we were both out of air.

He pulled away first, breathless, but I wasn't at all ready to be parted from him. _Who needed air?_ I stood up on my tip toes and attacked his mouth with mine again. He chuckled before kissing me back, just as feverishly, roaming his hands all over my body as our mouths continued to move together. My whole body ached with his touch; I had never felt anything so intense before.

We finally broke apart, panting, as we looked into each other's faces.

"Well, that was interesting," he smirked.

"I'll say," I breathed.

"I've never felt anything like that before." His eyes had darkened as he ran his gaze across my face.

"Me neither." I was still gasping for air.

"I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that we should probably keep that kind of thing to a minimum unless we're in private." He looked around. "I mean, it was hot, but I'm not sure I want to share that with the whole world."

I giggled. "Sounds good to me."

* * *

**Edward**

We walked up to the movie theater, and I groaned. Standing next to the entrance was Alice, Jasper, Rosalie, and Emmett.

"What?" Bella looked at me, worried.

I gripped her hand tighter and brought it to my mouth, placing a soft kiss on it.

"I may have mentioned to my brother that we were going to see _The Hangover_ yesterday and now he, Rosalie, Jasper, and Alice are all standing at the entrance, waiting for us."

She laughed. "That's okay. I already got to kiss you."

I ran my hand through my hair and laughed. "Really?"

"Really. It's fine."

We made our way over to them, and I gave each of them a glare before speaking. "Why are you here?"

"We wanted to see the movie! We'll sit on the other side of the theater if you don't want us around." Alice answered, enthusiastically.

"No, I don't want you around. I don't want you here at all. What part of _date_ did you not understand?" I seethed.

"Edward, don't be so rude." Bella looked at me and scowled. "It's okay. You can sit with us."

"Seriously?" Emmett asked.

"Yeah, of course." She smiled back at him. _God, she is amazing._

"Dude, your girlfriend fucking rocks! Unlike you, tight ass." Emmett pushed his way past me, laughing.

"Uh.." I was a little uncomfortable with him using the term 'girlfriend'. Bella and I hadn't discussed it yet. I didn't want to pressure her into anything, even though I would love to refer to her as my girlfriend.

"If it makes any difference, Cullen, I begged for them to stay home and leave you guys alone." Rosalie was frowning at everyone else.

"Thanks, Rose. Have I mentioned I love you lately?" I grinned at her.

"Not lately," she laughed.

"C'mon! Let's go before the damn thing starts!" Jasper pulled Alice behind him and went inside.

I shook my head and led Bella to the doors. "After you," I smirked.

"Why thank you," she giggled.

We made our way to the concession stand and each got a drink while Emmett and Jasper ordered popcorn for themselves, Alice, and Rosalie. After stopping so Emmett could butter his popcorn to death, we managed to sit down just as the previews started.

"Cool, we're the only ones here!" Alice exclaimed, causing us all to laugh a little at her enthusiasm.

I grabbed Bella's hand and held it in my lap as we watched the previews. When the preview for the new Harry Potter movie came on, Bella nudged me.

I looked into her smiling face. "I want to see that. Go with Eli and me?"

"Yeah," I said. "I'd like to spend some time with Eli." Her face lit up at my comment.

"You like Harry Potter?" Emmett asked, incredulously.

"Yeah. And I promised Eli I'd take him to see it."

Emmett snorted with laughter. "Dude, your coolness level just went down about four levels."

She laughed. "What are you, the cool police?" I snickered.

"Well, damn. I was trying to keep it on the DL, but yes, undercover actually." He grinned at her.

"Well, I hate to inform you of this, but I'm not going to spend my life looking over my shoulder wondering if Officer Emmett is going to arrest me for being uncool." She rolled her eyes and took a drink of her Diet Coke.

Jasper leaned over and looked at Bella. "You don't dress up, do you?"

"Of course not! Not that there's anything wrong with it or anything," she hurried.

"Uh, yes there is something wrong with it!" Emmett looked at her. "You're not doing anything to help your coolness here, Bella."

I was laughing at the comments they were hurling back and forth to one another. Finally, the movie started and we all quieted down.

I leaned over to Bella and whispered in her ear, breathing in her scent as I did. "You fit right in."

She looked at me sideways and smiled, reaching over and stealing some of Emmett's popcorn. She popped it in her mouth and gave me a sour look.

"God, Emmett! This is disgusting! I think I'm going to puke just from one bite! How can you eat this crap?" I couldn't help but laugh.

"That'll teach you to steal my food, Jelly Belly." He gave her a smug smile.

"Oh, God. You've gotten a nickname. Now you're screwed," I told her.

"Would you shut up down there? I'm trying to watch this!" Alice hissed.

Just as we turned our attention to the screen, we saw one of the characters adjust his jock strap.

"OH, GROSS!" Emmett roared. Thank God we were the only ones in the theater.

After laughing for almost the entire movie, we finally made our way outside. Jasper playfully grabbed Bella's purse and hurled it on the ground.

"Hey! There are Skittles in there!" she screamed, causing us all to crack up. An elderly couple passed us by and gave her a strange look. "Hi," she said sweetly, waving.

Emmett started laughing at her. "You are such a retard."

"Get it right, Em. It's RA-tard," I corrected him.

"Oh, right. Sorry. Your girlfriend's a RA-tard."

If he called her my girlfriend one more time, I was going to hit him from embarrassment. I decided to take offensive action and leave.

"I've got to get to the hospital by eight and Bella's got the early shift at the restaurant, so we should get going." I gave my family a smile. "I know I was an ass earlier, but this was fun. I'm glad you came."

"Me too," Bella chimed in.

"I'll talk to you guys later."

"Bye Bella! See you Saturday!" Rosalie called after us.

Bella turned and waved before wrapping her arms around mine. "That was an awesome movie."

"Yes, it was."

We rode back to her townhouse listening to the radio. She started dancing in her seat to a song that came on the radio. She looked over at me and smiled sheepishly. "Sorry. I like that song."

"I like it, too." I turned it up and started bobbing my head to the music while snapping my fingers against the wheel. I'm sure I looked like a nutcase.

She giggled. "You are so funny sometimes."

I shrugged. "Well, you know..." I grabbed her hand and intertwined our fingers, resting them on the console.

We stayed like that for the rest of the car ride. After I pulled into one of the spots next to her townhouse, I caught her looking at me from the corner of my eye.

"Walk me to the door?" she asked shyly.

"I wouldn't have it any other way."

I reluctantly let go of her hand and rushed over to open her door for her. She got out, and I wrapped my arm around her waist, leading her up the stairs.

"I can walk you know."

I chuckled. "Yes, well, I'm not taking any chances. The last time we were on stairs together, you fell."

"Hey! I told you I was clumsy! If you're going to be around me, it's just something you're going to have to get used to."

We reached her door and I spun her around in her arms. "Do you want me to be around you, Bella?" I asked, cocking my eyebrow.

"Yes. Do you want me around, Edward?" She locked her gaze with mine.

"Yes." I was done talking.

I leaned down and kissed her, feeling all the passion that I had felt earlier. She fisted her hands in my hair again as our tongues moved together in perfect synchronization, igniting the spark that burned through my body with her touch. I could feel myself running out of air, but I was too wrapped up in tasting her sweetness to pull away.

Finally, after we both were gasping for air, I pulled back and gently kissed the tip of her nose.

"I'm not ready to be away from you, but I don't think it would be wise for me to come in." I knew I wouldn't be able to control myself around her if I was on any soft, flat surface with her.

She nodded her head. "I need to get to bed anyways. I have to be at work by seven tomorrow."

"Okay. I'll call you tomorrow." I looked down into her beautiful chocolate eyes. "I wish I could see you before Saturday, but I don't think I'll have the time." I was very angry with my schedule at the moment.

"That's okay."

I leaned down and kissed her softly, pulling away before my body could get carried away again.

"Goodnight."

"Night."

I stood there and waited for her to get in the door before walking back to my car. I sat there and realized that I was already missing Bella's presence. I shook my head and smiled--I was in deep.


	5. Chapter 5

**Thanks for the reviews! **

**

* * *

**Chapter 5

**Bella**

Saturday night couldn't get here fast enough. Even though we were slammed at the restaurant, the minutes of each day seemed to slowly tick by. Our date was incredible on Wednesday--I couldn't wait to see him again.

Edward had been right about not having a chance to get together before Saturday. His schedule and mine were total opposites. I was at work by seven each morning and off at four, just as Edward was starting his shift at the hospital. We managed to talk on the phone for a few short moments each day and sent each other little Facebook notes and text messages on and off all throughout the day. Thanks to those little messages, I was now 'Facebook friends' with Alice, Rosalie, Jasper, and Emmett.

I was putting away Eli's laundry when I felt my phone buzzing in my pocket. I looked down at the caller ID and sighed. It was Jessica.

I had managed to avoid her questions when we were at work, using the fact that we were busier than usual as an excuse. Truthfully, I had no idea what to say to her now that I was dating the guy she liked. I didn't want this to ruin our friendship, so I needed to be tactful about how I told her. Although, given her stalkerish tendencies, I was pretty certain she already knew.

I mentally prepared myself before answering. "Hey, Jess. How are you?"

"I'm fine, Bella. What are you up to today?"

"I'm going out for Edward's birthday tonight." I cringed, waiting for her response.

"Edward? Who's that?" Not exactly the response I thought I'd get.

"Cullen." _Duh?_

"Oh. You're calling him by his first name?"

"Yeah. Listen, Jessica. I wanted to talk to you, I just haven't been sure of how to say it." I stopped and bit my lip.

"Okay," she said, slowly. "What is it?"

"Have you been paying attention to my Facebook page lately?" I figured it was best to start out by finding how much she actually knew.

"A little. I saw some things on there from Cullen and his family. Something about Skittles? And tigers?"

I laughed. "Yeah. We saw _The Hangover_ Wednesday night. We've been joking about it ever since." I cleared my throat. "Anyway, I don't want you to be angry with me or anything like that. It wasn't like I was keeping this from you or anything, I just didn't want to tell anyone about it until I knew what it was and jinx it or something. Actually, I still don't know what it is exactly, but it just feels wrong not to tell you and I-"

"Bella! You're rambling!" I was.

I took a deep breath. "Edward asked me to go out with him on Wednesday and I kind of said yes."

I squeezed my eyes and waited for the onslaught of insults but was instead met with silence. _Did she hang up on me?_

"Jessica?"

I heard her exhale. "You're the one he danced with last weekend."

"Yeah. I'm so sorry. I should have told you about it, I just didn't know how!" I was such a terrible friend.

"It's all right, Bella. I probably didn't stand a chance with him anyways. I've always thought he was cute but never acted on it. Who knows? Maybe things would have been different if I had."

I had to make sure I understood her. "You're not mad at me?"

"No! I mean, I wish it was me that he'd asked out. I'm insanely jealous of you, by the way." I laughed a little. "But I'm not mad. I've gotten to know you well enough to know that you wouldn't intentionally do anything to hurt someone else."

The weight of guilt that I had been feeling on my chest lifted. "Thank you."

"I take it you had a good time?"

I let out my breath in a rush. "Yes. It was awesome."

"Tell me all about it!" she squealed in my ear.

"Okay."

I told her how our conversation just seemed to flow naturally, how he made me laugh, the sparks that flew through my body when he touched me, and that we kissed...twice.

"Is he as good of a kisser as I think he is?"

I laughed. "Better. I can't even begin to describe how it felt to be kissed by him."

She squealed--again. "So, I'd better let you go so you can get ready to see your man. Just know, I'm going to pout tonight about you going out with him instead of me." She giggled, so I knew she was joking.

I laughed softly. "I don't think he's my man. I mean, this is only the second time I've been out with him since last Saturday."

"Bella," she chided. "I've known Alice for a couple of years now. And I've listened to her stories about her brothers. Cullen is in no way, shape, or form a player. He rarely dates, but when he does, he puts all he has into it. Let me just ask you this. Even though you haven't been able to see him, have you talked to him on the phone since Wednesday?"

"Actually, I've talked to him every day for the last week," I admitted. I still wasn't sure that Edward was _mine._

"See? There you go." I could tell she was smiling.

I decided it would be better to just agree with her. "Okay. I'll talk to you later."

"See ya."

* * *

I had just finished combing the snarls out of my wet hair when I heard a knock on the door. I looked at the clock--it was only seven. _Who could that be?_

I quickly threw on the jeans and the white ribbed tank top I was wearing and answered the door, seeing Edward waiting on my stoop for me.

My face lit up as I took him in. He was wearing a blue Cubs hat on backwards, a white t-shirt with black tattoo-like designs all over it, and khaki cargo shorts with black flip flops.

"What are you doing here?!" I squealed. _Oh, that can never happen again._

He laughed at me and held up the bags in his hands so that they were practically at my eye-level. "I got off an hour earlier than I expected and thought you might want some dinner."

I sucked in a breath. He was perfect. "What did you bring me?" I was grinning from ear to ear.

"Chinese."

I suddenly couldn't help myself any longer--I needed to touch him. I rushed over to him and threw my arms around his neck, squeezing him against me. He took in a deep breath and wrapped his arms around me, smashing the food against my lower back. I laid my head on his chest and just stood there, listening to his heart beat and his slow, deep breaths as I breathed him in and felt my head swim.

"What was that for?" he finally asked, breaking our silence.

"I missed you," I said quietly. I could feel my face flame with embarrassment. "I'm sorry. I don't know why I said that." I felt like an idiot.

I heard the bags drop to the floor. He put his hand on my chin and pulled my face towards his so that I was looking into his beautiful emerald eyes.

"I missed you, too, Bella." He grinned crookedly. "Why else would I be here an hour and a half early?"

_He missed me, too!_

I pulled my bottom lip in between my teeth. "I don't know."

"God, you look so hot when you do that." His eyes seemed to instantly darken.

"Really?"

"Yes," he said softly, moving his face down to mine.

I leaned up on my toes so that I could meet his lips with mine faster. His hands cupped my face, pulling me in to him. As our tongues explored each other's mouths, I felt that familiar surge of heat flow through my body. I was vaguely aware that I was running out of air as I felt my body mold against his, but couldn't force myself to pull away from him.

His hands ran down my arms before resting on my hips. He slid them to the small of my back and pulled me even tighter against him. I felt his erection against my body and moaned with the contact.

Edward abruptly pulled away, breathing heavily and rested his forehead against mine. "Sorry. I had to stop."

"What?" I asked, dazed.

He opened his eyes and stared into mine. "Bella. You have to know the effect you have on me." I nodded; it was the same for me. "I have never wanted someone so much in my life." I felt my eyes widen, causing him to chuckle. "Why is that so unbelievable to you?"

"I don't know," I bit down on my lip again and blushed.

He ran his thumbs across the blush that had spread along my cheeks and smiled. "How about I pick up the food I randomly threw on the ground and we go see what's salvageable?"

I held in my laughter and nodded. "There's something I need to say to you first."

His eyes appraised me questioningly and his brows knit. "What is it?"

I grinned. "Happy Birthday."

He laughed. "Thank you." He gave me a chaste kiss on my lips. "I'm starving. Let's go eat."

He grabbed the bags off the ground and followed me into the kitchen. We worked in sync, silently pulling the food out of the bag before getting the plates and forks and two bottles of water from the fridge.

Edward looked around the kitchen and laughed. "What the hell was that?"

I laughed with him. "I have no idea. It was like we were reading each other's mind."

"I can't believe I found your forks on the first try." He looked at me and smiled broadly. "See, I told you, I'm a catch."

I rolled my eyes. "And I told you, you're cocky. All those years of girls swooning over you has gone to your head."

He barked out a laugh. "Girls don't swoon over me." I looked at him in disbelief. "Okay, maybe a little. Especially when I wear my uniform." He waggled his eyebrows at me.

The thought of seeing Edward in his uniform made me a little weak in the knees. I shook my head to get the image out of my head.

"Shut up and get your food, tattoo boy."

His eyebrows shot up. "Tattoo boy?" He chuckled. "Oh, you're cute."

"Thanks. I try." I gave him a sarcastic smile.

He started opening the cartons, looking at me sheepishly. "I didn't exactly know what you like so I got my favorites."

"What did you get?" I looked at the display of cartons, bowls, and bags in front of me. "The entire menu?"

He laughed. "No, I got some Moo Goo Gai Pan, Kung Pao Chicken, some Crab Rangoon--made with imitation crab meat, Hot and Sour Soup, Beef and Broccoli, and some spring rolls. Oh, and I got shrimp fried rice for me."

"Um, Edward? I can't eat all that."

"No, but I can." He started piling things on his plate. "Did I do okay?"

"Yes. You did great." I took his face in my hands and brought it to me, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Thank you."

We took our food over to the table and ate for a few minutes in comfortable silence.

"So, I did a little research on Devil Docs."

I was curious to see what exactly he did. Apparently, he left a few things out when we spoke on the phone the first time.

"Oh?" He looked surprised. "What did you learn?"

"That Devil Docs go out on missions with the Marines and help keep the injured soldier alive until a medevac can get to the scene. They also perform surgeries and take care of the soldiers on base." I raised my eyebrows and waited for his explanation.

"Damn. I was hoping you wouldn't catch that. I didn't want you to worry." He looked at me pleadingly. "I'm sorry."

"So you lied?"

"No. I didn't. Like I said, it _was_ pretty calm where we were. We weren't near...the action, I guess you could call it. I only went out a few times. Most of the time, I stayed on base. My expertise is in surgery, not emergency medicine."

I smiled. "Okay. That's all I wanted."

"That's it?" He looked amazed.

"Yep."

"Wow. I figured this was going to be our first fight." He took a bite of his fried rice.

There were so many things I wanted to say to him, but chose not to. It seemed we were already a couple in his eyes. The thought of being the girlfriend of this stunning man sitting across from me was almost impossible to comprehend; I desperately wanted it.

Instead, I smiled again. "No, no fight. Not tonight, anyway. After all, it is your birthday." I gave him a wink and got up.

"Where are you going?" he laughed.

"I'll be right back. I've got to grab something out of my room."

"All right. Are you finished?"

"Yeah." He nodded but didn't say anything else.

I quickly went up to my room and got the gift bag that held his present. I really hoped he didn't already have it. And of course, that he liked it.

I got back down to the kitchen and saw Edward washing the dishes we'd used.

"You didn't have to do that! It's your birthday! Stop it, right now!" I put the present on the counter and went to grab the plate from his hand.

"Nope. Not a chance. I'm almost done anyway."

I wasn't going to give up. "No! Edward, quit it! I don't want you cleaning up on your birthday!" I couldn't get the plate out of his grasp.

He ran the plate under the water and put it in the drying rack. "All done," he said smugly. He glanced over at the present on the counter. "What is that?"

"Your present." I grabbed it and held it out to him. "I hope you like it," I said, blushing.

"Bella. You didn't have to get me anything." He ran the back of his fingers across my jaw, making my skin tingle with his touch. "But, I'm sure I'll love it."

He pulled the tissue out of the bag and then pulled the navy blue t-shirt with the Devil Doc logo on the front and his last name and unit number stamped on the back. As soon as he looked at it, his face lit up. Before he said a word, he took his hat off and pulled his shirt up over his head, causing me to gasp slightly as I watched his muscles flex with the movement.

He threw his shirt on the counter and put the one I gave him on in place of it. I must admit, I was a little disappointed when he covered up the last sliver of skin with the shirt. He took the few steps necessary to me and kissed me deeply, making me lightheaded in the process.

"This is great, Bella. I love it. Where did you find it?" His eyes danced with excitement.

"Online. This guy designs them for all the branches of the military. I remembered the logo from seeing your tattoo last Friday. It's not exactly like it, but it's pretty close, right?"

"Nothing is going to match my tattoo exactly. I drew it myself."

"You drew that?" I asked in surprise. _Is there something he's not good at? _"It's great!"

"Thank you." He grabbed my hands in his and held them to his chest. "Now, I would love to know what that little gasp was about earlier." He grinned at me wickedly.

"I think you already know." Of course, this was accompanied with a blush.

"I might have an idea," he said slyly.

I didn't respond since his mouth was suddenly on mine. I instinctively parted my lips and felt his breath wash over me before his tongue darted in my mouth. I felt my whole body melt into him; kissing Edward was like anything I had ever known before. I never wanted to stop.

He pulled away smiling. "I was thinking that if you're ready to go, that we could ahead and go and maybe grab a drink while we wait. We shouldn't have to wait long before they'll have it all set up for us."

"Sounds good."

We put the leftovers--what little there was, Edward ate all most all of it--in the fridge before I got my purse and slipped my shoes on. Edward put his hat back on while I locked the door. We walked to the parking lot and I looked around in confusion.

"Where's your car?"

He smiled broadly at me. "We're not taking my car. We're taking my bike. I don't plan to do much drinking tonight, and I wanted to take her out before it got hot again."

My eyes looked around the parking lot to see a shiny, red motorcycle parked next to my blue Fusion. It looked like it could go fast--really fast.

"Your bike," I gulped.

"Yes. " He could see my fear and he laughed. "I'll go painfully slow, I promise. No funny business while you're on it."

"Funny business? Please do not tell me you do a bunch of stupid tricks on that bike." I glared at him.

"No. Not usually. But I do know how to do a few."

He walked over to the bike and straddled it. I had to resist the urge not to jump him right then and there. If I thought Edward's tattoos were sexy, I was painfully mistaken. _This,_ Edward on a bike, this was sexy. I watched him take off his hat and stick it under the seat behind him before slipping on his helmet.

He pulled the visor up and I could see his eyes crinkle with his smile. "Come on, Bella!" He held out a matching helmet, which I assumed was for me.

"Fine." _Thank God I didn't fix my hair._

I twisted my hair up and pulled the helmet over my head. I looked at Edward and groaned. "I look like a reject."

I couldn't hear much, but I saw his chest shake with his laughter. "No. You look smart."

He took my hand and helped me onto the seat behind him. Our helmets clanked together a few times, and I laughed. No matter what I did, I always managed to prove to the world how clumsy I was.

"Sorry!" I yelled, a little embarrassed.

"It's fine. Wrap your arms around my waist and hold on tight." He started the bike.

I did as I was instructed, squeezing a little tighter than I probably needed to. I could feel my body beginning to shake with nervousness and I took slow, deep breaths to calm myself...that had no effect whatsoever.

"Ready?"

"Yeah!" I yelled again. It was probably unnecessary since I didn't hear Edward shouting at me, but I felt like my head was underwater--everything was muffled.

He slowly pulled out of the parking space and I felt myself tighten my grip around his waist. He was probably going to run out of air before we got to the bar. I squeezed my eyes shut and felt his hard muscles move with the bike as we turned, making my body instantly respond--I was so turned on I had to wiggle a little in my seat to keep from spontaneously combusting.

* * *

**Edward**

I drove slowly to Kendall's, not just to keep Bella at ease. Feeling her body against mine, her arms wrapped tightly around my waist--her breasts pressed into my back--made me so hard, it was all I could do to stay focused on the road. Apparently, riding the bike with Bella was not the best idea.

We finally managed to pull into the parking lot after what felt like the longest drive of my life. I shut down the bike and expected Bella to practically jump off, but she didn't move. Her arms stayed locked around my waist, squeezing me like a vise.

"Help," she whimpered. "I can't move my fingers."

I quickly ripped off my helmet and looked down to see her fingers locked together so tightly, I could see the white of her knuckles. I carefully pried her fingers apart, trying desperately not to laugh. Maybe we would just load the bike in the back of Emmett's truck and take her home that way.

She unhooked her arms from my waist and jumped off the bike, stripping her helmet off in the process. I looked over to see her shake her long hair out and was surprised to find that my eyes were still in their sockets as I watched her. She was the most beautiful thing I had ever laid eyes on. And she was mine. _Well, not yet,_ I amended in my head. I was going to have to do something about that...soon.

I got off the bike and put down the kickstand, before I put the helmets on the hooks, locking the seat back down after I did.

I turned to Bella and saw that she was rubbing her hands together, frowning. "Are you all right?"

I grabbed her hands and began massaging her fingers. "Yeah, I'm fine." She blushed.

"We'll load the bike in Emmett's truck when it's time to go back home so you don't have to ride it again." I felt terrible for terrifying her.

"No, I liked it. I just was a little freaked out, I guess. I want to ride it again." She smiled genuinely at me, and so I let it go.

"Looks like Emmett and Rosalie are here," I said, pointing to Emmett's red truck.

I took her hand and led her into the bar. I gave them Jasper's name and was told which table was his. We walked through the curtain and saw that Emmett and Rosalie were sitting with a few Marines that James had invited.

"What's up, man?" I sat down next to Emmett and felt Bella tug her hand out of my grasp.

She leaned down and gave me a soft kiss on the lips when I looked at her questioningly. "I'm going to sit with Rosalie and Alice so that I have something to do while you boys watch the fight."

I laughed and nodded. "Okay, but I plan to steal you away at some point so that I can introduce you to a few people."

Bella nodded, smiling, and walked over to the seat on the other side of Rosalie.

"Dude, you are so in love with that girl it's not even funny." Emmett laughed at himself.

I merely shrugged, I wasn't going to make a big deal of it. I wasn't sure how I felt about Bella yet, but I knew there was something big here, and I was definitely looking forward to finding out what exactly it was.

I talked with Emmett, stealing glances at Bella, while everyone slowly trickled in. I felt a slap on the shoulder and looked up.

"Cullen! Happy Birthday, bro!" James sat down in the seat next to me.

"Thanks."

James scanned the people sitting at our table. He stopped and smiled when he got to Bella. "Who the fuck is that?" He laughed. "She's fucking hot, dude! She one of your sister's friends?"

I could see the wheels in his head turning and I felt a low growl build in my chest. "Don't even fucking think about it," I seethed.

He rolled his eyes. "Too late."

"James. I'm going to tell you this once. Don't even think about touching her. If you so much as lay a hand on her, I'll fucking rip it off your arm." I looked over at Bella to see her talking animatedly with Alice. "That's Bella."

His eyes widened and he grinned at me. "That's your girl?" I nodded. "Holy shit, Cullen! You hit the mother lode with that one! She has a kid?"

"Yep."

"Damn." I glared at him. "Don't worry. I'm not going to try anything. But I'm curious. She have any hot, single girlfriends?" He gave me his best smile.

I couldn't help but smile back. The protective feelings for Bella were slowly fading away, leaving pride in its place.

"No. She's not from here, remember?"

"Oh yeah, I forgot." He looked around. "I see some chicks over there I know. Save my seat, though." He got up before I could say anything else.

I sat in the chair with my legs stretched out, my feet crossed one on top of the other, with my arms crossed over my chest watching the first fight on the big screen TV in front of me. Just as they announced the winner, I felt a finger run across one of the cuffs on my wrist. I smiled, thinking it was Bella, only to be surprised to see Tanya sitting next to me.

The smile was immediately off my face. "Happy Birthday, Cullen!" She leaned over and gave me a kiss on the cheek.

I instantly stiffened up and looked at Bella who was eyeing us curiously. "Thanks."

"I love the shirt. Where did you find it?" She ran her hand across the logo on my chest.

I couldn't have her touching the gift Bella gave me, so I quickly pulled her hand away. "I got it as a gift. From Bella." I pointed to Bella and smiled at her, earning a confused smile in response.

"Bella?" She looked in between the two of us, but I hadn't taken my eyes off Bella yet. "Who's she? One of Alice's friends?"

I tore my gaze away from Bella. "No. I'm dating her."

"Really?" I gave her a hard look. "Sorry, I didn't mean it like that, I'm just surprised. You haven't dated anyone since you got back. And she's not your usual type. You usually go for blonds."

"What can I say? I'm a changed man." I flashed her a grin.

"Well, she's pretty..."she trailed off.

"Tanya, our little," I paused, thinking of how to phrase it, "arrangement is going to be put on hold...indefinitely." I was trying to be tactful. I really liked Tanya as a person and didn't want to lose her friendship. "I really like this girl, and I don't think I'll be letting her go any time soon. If ever."

"Wow. Well, you know where to find me if you change your mind." I nodded and expected her to get up, but she never moved. "Don't I even get to meet her?"

"Of course you can meet her. After the fight. They're getting ready to start the next one." I looked back up at the screen.

"I'm holding you to that, Cullen," she said as she got up and went back over to her sisters. I quickly glanced over at them and gave them a wave before turning my attention back to the fight.

I tried to watch it, but my eyes kept veering to the left, watching Bella instead. Finally I gave up and waited for her to look over at me. When she finally did, I motioned for her to come sit by me.

She said something to Alice and Rosalie and then got up and sat in the seat next to me. I grabbed the chair and scooted her closer to me, causing her to laugh.

"Too much space," I said, grinning crookedly.

I wrapped my arm around her and held her close to me. I could feel everyone's eyes boring into me, but I didn't care.

Bella curled into my side, fidgeting nervously. "What's the matter?"

"They're all staring at us."

I smiled and pulled her face up so that I could look into her eyes. "That's because I basically announced to everyone here that I'm with you when I put my arm around you." I leaned down so that our noses were practically touching. "And now I'm going to kiss you."

I kissed her gently, tracing my tongue over her lips before she parted them, allowing my tongue entrance. Our mouths moved together for a moment before I reluctantly pulled back. Even though we hadn't kissed for long, I was still breathing heavily. I gave her another quick kiss on the lips before sitting back up. If there was any question about my relationship with Bella, there wasn't now.

"That was pretty good, Cullen." I looked down to see her smirking at me.

"You ain't seen nothing, yet." I winked and watched the blush spread across her face.

We sat and watched the rest of the fight together in silence, occasionally running our fingers over one another's arm or hand. When the fight was over, I turned to her and looked at her seriously.

"I need to talk to you about something for a second." She nodded and looked at me in confusion. "The girl you saw come talk to me?"

"Yeah?"

"That's Tanya. Kate and Irina's sister. Her family owns Willy's."

"Oh, okay." She smiled at me.

"Our families have been friends for years. And ever since high school, we've kind of had this unspoken agreement. Whenever neither of us are in a relationship we're kind of like..."I trailed off, unsure how to finish.

"Fuck buddies." She grinned at me.

"Jesus, Bella!" I said in shock. I don't think I'd heard a curse word come out of her mouth until now. "Yeah, I guess. Anyway, she and I slept together a few weeks ago."

"She's the one you told me about on Wednesday."

"Yeah." I looked at her, trying to gage her reaction, but couldn't. "So listen, when she came over here earlier, I basically terminated our agreement."

She laughed making me smile. "What did you say?"

"I told her that I really liked you, and I didn't think I'd be letting you go any time soon. If ever." She pulled her lip between her teeth and smiled. "I really wasn't planning on doing this now, but I don't see the point in waiting any longer. I'm not sure how you want to handle things--what, with Eli and all--but I don't have any interest in being with anyone else. I only want to be with you."

"Like your girlfriend?"

I smiled. "Exactly."

She nodded her head and beamed back. "I don't want to date anyone else, either. And as for Eli, I don't want to introduce you to him as my boyfriend right away, but I don't expect he'll have a problem when I do. In fact, he asked when he could see you again. Apparently, he's expecting you to tell him all about being in the military."

I laughed, remembering his enthusiasm at the beach. "I guess he would be. How does Monday sound?"

"Sounds good." She looked at me for a moment before continuing. "Just, don't tell him anything to give him nightmares, okay?"

I chuckled. "I'll keep it rated G, I promise."

We turned back to the TV to watch the last fight, but I couldn't concentrate. I couldn't keep my eyes off of my Bella. I could now officially call her mine. She looked up at me, and I smiled broadly at her. At that moment, I was ridiculously happy. I had never been a sappy, romantic kind of guy, but I found myself wanting to do anything and everything to make Bella happy.

I leaned down and whispered in her ear. "You just made my birthday perfect. Thank you, baby."

Her face lit up and she turned to face me. "You just called me baby." I nodded. "I like it."

"It's all right." She looked at me in confusion. "It didn't feel right to me. I guess I'll have to do a little experimenting." I grinned crookedly at her.

When the last fight was over, we stood up, and I introduced Bella to all of my friends, including Tanya and James. I was a little nervous when we walked over to Tanya after explaining my relationship with her to Bella, but she was nothing but friendly and polite to her, laughing and talking like they were old friends.

We left and went over to my favorite bar to hang out. It was like this old Irish pub set in the middle of Chicago. After spending a couple of hours laughing and hanging out with my family and a few friends, Bella and I decided to call it a night.

I noticed on the ride back home that Bella wasn't clinging to my waist as tightly as I wound the bike through the streets of Chicago, but it did nothing to ease the massive hard on I got by just feeling her body pressed against mine. We hopped off the bike and I struggled to regain some sense of respectfulness before walking her to her door.

"Your family is great. And I really liked James." _Of course she did._

I laughed. "I have yet to meet a girl that doesn't like James. He has this way with the ladies." I rolled my eyes.

"Well, I wasn't impressed with him in that way, but I can see why you like him so much. He's a good guy, even though he's a manwhore."

I laughed at her term. "Bella, you just described him perfectly."

We had reached her door, and I reached out to pull her into my arms. She looked up at me shyly before she spoke quietly.

"Stay."

I wasn't sure I heard her correctly, but judging by the flush of her face and the fact that I could barely see that perfect bottom lip of hers, I must have.

"Bella, I..." I trailed off. "God, I want to stay, but I don't want to ruin what we're building together by moving too fast." I leaned down and kissed her softly, coaxing her lip out from between her teeth. "You have no idea how much I want you." I could feel my pants bulge at just the thought.

"Please? I don't want to move too fast either, but I just can't stand the thought of you leaving." She looked down at our feet. "I don't know, it's stupid."

I pulled her face back up so that I could look into her eyes. _How could I ever deny this woman anything?_ "Bella, nothing you could ever say to me would be stupid."

I trailed kisses all over her face, starting from her forehead and working my way to her mouth, feeling her mouth part with mine as soon as our lips touched. I felt the flame build low in my stomach before branching out and speeding through my limbs. I wasn't sure how long we stood outside her door kissing before finally pulling away from each other, panting.

"Lead the way," I smirked.

She unlocked the door and walked inside, turning on the living room light before throwing her keys back in her purse and setting it on the table just inside the door. Her townhouse was nice. It was plain, painted white with khaki carpet, but Bella had put up pictures all over the place, making it look warm and inviting. Not to mention the dinosaurs, cars, Transformers, and whatever else Eli had stuffed in bins in the corner.

I walked around the room, looking at pictures of Bella and Eli, Jacob and Eli, the three of them together, and Eli by himself. If I didn't know any better, I would assume they were a family. I felt myself frown with this thought. I wasn't intruding, was I? Eli looked so happy. Would my presence in his mother's life change that?

Bella's tiny arms wrapped around my waist and I felt her place a kiss on my shoulder blade. "That's from when we took Eli to Disney Land during his preschool's winter break." I nodded, but stayed silent. "What's the matter?"

"Nothing." I gave her a small smile. "I just...Eli looks so happy. I just don't want to ruin that."

"You're not ruining anything, Edward." She looked at me sternly. "Jacob has dated in the past, and Eli has never been affected by it. He knows that Jacob and I love each other, but we'll never get married. And I told you before. I don't know what you did at the beach, but Eli really likes you. According to him you're 'so cool'!" She said it with mock enthusiasm, causing me to laugh.

"Well, the feeling's mutual." I moved on to the next picture of Bella sitting beside a man with her eyes. "Who's this?"

"That's my dad, Charlie."

I looked over to see him in another picture, this time with Eli as a baby. "You have his eyes." I smiled at her before pointing at the next picture. "What the hell are you doing in this picture?" She looked like she was...dancing?

"That was taken on the day of my college graduation. I was celebrating. My best friend Angela took it. She's in this one here." She pointed to a picture of herself with a girl with light brown hair.

I felt my phone buzz in my pocket and quickly pulled it out, reading the text message from Emmett.

"Emmett and Rosalie are having a slip n slide party next weekend. Jacob and Eli are welcome to come during the day before it gets a little too mature for children and becomes drunken slip n slide." I texted Emmett back that we would definitely be there.

"What's a slip n slide party?"

My eyes widened, and I felt my lips pull up into a huge smile. "Bella, Bella, Bella. There is so much for you to learn, you west coaster." I shook my head. "They'll cook out and have cornhole, washers, and horseshoes, too."

"Cornhole?" She snickered.

"It's fucking great. I'll teach you. It's like a bean bag toss." I looked at her dreamily. "God bless that game."

She laughed at me. "So, I don't have anything for you to wear to bed, but I do have an extra toothbrush."

"Well, thank you, Jesus." I grinned widely. "As for the pajamas, I'll just sleep in my boxers."

She quickly sucked in a breath and then shook her head. "Um, right. Okay. So, my room is upstairs."

I followed her up the stairs and to her bedroom. I stepped into the room and laughed. Her canopy bed practically took up the entire room.

"What does a tiny woman like you need a huge bed like this for?"

"Hey, don't make fun of the bed. Just you wait until you lay down on it. You'll know exactly why I need a bed like this." I laughed at her passion.

She pulled a pair of pajama pants and a tank top out of her drawer and went to the bathroom. While she was in there doing God knows what, I stripped out of my clothes and plopped down on her bed. I had to give it to her, it was pretty fucking amazing. Not only was it extremely comfortable, but it smelled just like her. I inhaled and felt every cell in my body ache for her.

She came back out, pulled back the covers, and crawled in the bed. "The extra toothbrush and toothpaste is sitting on the sink."

I got up and quickly brushed my teeth, wanting to get back to Bella as soon as I could. I climbed back in the bed and saw her eyes flutter open.

"Hi," I said, pulling her into my arms.

"Hi," she said, sleepily.

"I've never actually done this before," I admitted.

"What?"

"I've never stayed at a girl's house and just slept." I was fighting every urge I had to completely ravish her.

"Wow." She yawned. "I guess that's not completely surprising."

I chuckled. "Gee, thanks," I said sarcastically.

"You're welcome."

I leaned down and kissed her forehead, breathing her in. She smelled even better now. "Goodnight, babe." _Nope, don't like that one either._

"Goodnight, Edward."

I laid there and waited for her to fall asleep before I let myself relax and drift to sleep, wrapped around my beautiful Bella.


	6. Chapter 6

**Thanks for the reviews!**

* * *

Chapter 6

**Edward**

I woke up from the best night's sleep I had possibly ever had. It was even better than the night after I came home from Iraq, sleeping in my own bed for the first time in three years. I took a deep breath, feeling my body react to Bella's wonderful sweet, strawberry floral scent, and looked down at her sleeping in my arms.

I laid there watching her sleep; her hair was splayed out all over the pillow and my chest, her chest rose and fell with her breathing. I could feel my body just aching to touch her, kiss her--to be inside her.

_Hold that thought, Edward. You've only known her for a week._

I couldn't explain it, but it felt like we had been together longer--much longer. Everything was so easy and comfortable with us. There was never any awkward moments or uncomfortable silences like there sometimes are when you first meet someone. She was all I ever thought about anymore. Regardless, I was going to have to get my mind out of the gutter.

I gazed around the room, trying to distract myself from the growing need I felt for Bella, when I felt her stir in my arms.

I looked down to see her eyelashes flutter against her cheeks as she inhaled a deep breath. She opened her eyes and looked at me, smiling.

"Good morning, beautiful." I felt myself smile back at her. _That's pretty nice. I think I might use it again._

She bit her lip. "Good morning." She stretched in my arms, and I held back a groan. _God, this woman was going to drive me crazy_. "That was the best night's sleep I have ever had."

"Hmm. I was just thinking the same thing." I hugged her tightly against my chest before loosening my grip and moving my face towards hers.

She gave me a quick peck on the lips and pulled away. "Morning breath."

"Shut up." There was no way this woman would ever have anything remotely wrong with her.

I grabbed her face and pulled it towards mine, forcefully parting her lips with mine. As soon as our tongues met, she shifted her body so that it was flush with mine and ran her hands through my hair before fisting them and tugging slightly, causing an involuntary moan to escape from my throat.

Before I knew what was happening, I had flipped us so that I was hovering over her. I ran my hand down her body until I reached her thigh. I stopped and cupped my hand around the back of her leg and hitched it around my hip, grinding myself into her. She moaned at the contact and ran her hands down my back, causing my muscles to tense at her touch and sending chills down my spine.

_You need to stop._

But I couldn't. My mind was in a Bella-induced haze, unable to send any signal to my body to stop.

I ran my hands all over her body, stopping at her breast and cupping it as I ran my thumb across her nipple. I massaged it gently and felt Bella break away from the kiss, breathing heavily on my cheek.

"Shit, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that." I looked at her apologetically.

She smiled, breathing in deeply. "I didn't pull away because I didn't want to keep going. I pulled away because I couldn't breathe."

I could feel myself beginning to regain some control over my body. "It's a good thing you did. I don't think I would have been able to stop myself."

"Really?" She looked at me from behind her lashes. "But what if I didn't want you to stop?"

_Holy._ _Fuck._

I took a second to compose myself and then looked at her seriously, tucking a stray hair behind her ear. "Bella, I want our first time to be perfect. Waking up next to you this morning was pretty damn close, but it's too soon. I'm not going to do anything to screw this up."

She nodded and smiled. "You're right. And I don't think anything you did could screw this up." She bit her lip and blushed.

I kissed the tip of her nose. "Oh, I'm sure I could find something. But I'll be doing all I can not to."

"Do you want to take a shower while I make breakfast?"

"You're going to cook for me?" She nodded and smiled. "That sounds great."

She led me to the bathroom and grabbed a towel and washcloth out of the cabinet and gave me some Bvlgari green tea shower gel to use, claiming it was unisex, before going downstairs to whip up who-knows-what.

I brushed my teeth and took a quick shower before I quickly threw my clothes back on and went downstairs.

I walked into the kitchen and saw her standing at the counter, chopping something furiously. Her hair was dripping down her back and she had thrown on a pair of navy blue shorts and a gray tank top. She looked like a fucking cheerleader.

_This woman is going to be the death of me._

I adjusted myself and walked over to her, wrapping my arms around her tiny waist and peering in the bowl.

"You took a shower."

"Yep. I took one in the hall bathroom. I just got down here actually. Do you like omelets?"

"Yeah." I watched her chop the onion with incredible speed. "Remind me never to get on your bad side."

She laughed. "I may be clumsy, but _do _know how to use a knife without cutting myself."

"I can see that." She was finished with the onion and had moved on to a green pepper.

She stopped for a second and pushed me back by bumping her hip against me. "Get back, Cullen, before you screw me up," she teased.

I held my hands up and retreated to the table. "There's nothing I can do?"

"Yeah. There is." I looked at her expectantly. "You can sit your butt in that chair and look pretty."

I smiled. "That shouldn't be too hard."

"Cocky." She said it in a sing-song voice, making me laugh.

I watched her move expertly in the kitchen, finishing up the vegetables and then whisking the eggs in a bowl before pouring it in a pan. She sprinkled the ingredients into the pan before carefully folding the omelet on itself. As I watched her, I pictured her in nothing but an apron, working in the kitchen before I took her and bent her over the table...

_Stop it._

I brought myself out of that horny daydream and focused on the present. She plated the omelets and sprinkled something on top of it. She carried my plate to me with a fork and a glass of juice before getting hers. I waited until she sat down before taking a bite. It was the most incredible thing I had ever tasted in my life.

"Holy fucking hell! What did you put in this thing?" I quickly took another bite.

She giggled. "You like it?"

I nodded furiously and swallowed. "I didn't know an omelet could taste this good. What else can you cook?"

"Whatever you want." She took a drink of her juice.

"My God, woman. How do you not weigh three hundred pounds? If I could cook like this, all I'd want to do was eat all day." I realized that I was going to have to work twice as hard in the gym now that I was dating Bella. "Shit, being with you is going to make me fat. I can't get fat. I'd be completely useless as a naval officer."

Although technically, I was no longer one since I was a civilian...

She laughed at me. "I highly doubt that."

I wolfed down my food and watched her take dainty bites of hers before pushing the plate away.

"You finished?" She still had half an omelet left on her plate.

"Yeah. I'm stuffed." I grabbed her plate and set it in front of me making her laugh. "You just ate a four-egg omelet and you're still hungry?"

"Yep," I mumbled around my food.

I finished her omelet and helped her clean the kitchen. After we were finished, we went into the living room and sat on the couch with the intention of watching a movie. I eyed the computer and smiled.

"Mind if I do something?"

"No, what are you going to do?" She watched me walk over to the computer curiously.

"Come here, I'll show you."

I logged in to my Facebook page and went straight for the info section. I updated it to say that I was in a relationship with Bella and then quickly logged back out.

I looked over and saw her grinning at me. "Now, you have to confirm it."

She took my spot and logged in, confirming our relationship status. "Is there anything else I have to do?"

"No, that should be it." I watched her hit the logout link before she got up and faced me.

"You don't seem like the Facebook type, how do you know so much about it?"

I laughed. "I'm not. But when you're halfway across the world with not many options when it comes to contacting your friends and family back home, you pick it up pretty quickly." I stared down at her. "You don't seem like the Facebook type yourself."

She snorted--it was adorable. "I'm not. I didn't have one until I moved to Chicago. Ang convinced me to start one up so that I could stay in contact with everyone back home easily."

I pulled her back onto the couch, laying down with her. She started up the movie, but I couldn't focus on it. I was too busy looking at Bella.

"When is Jacob bringing Eli back?" I whispered in her ear.

"Sometime around four. Why?"

I looked at the clock. It was almost noon. "I'll probably leave after the movie is over." She looked at me in confusion. "I don't want to cause any problems."

She nodded her head. "You're not going to cause any problems, but I understand. I should probably tell Jacob you're coming over to spend time with both Eli and me tomorrow night anyway."

I leaned down and kissed her, completely forgetting about the movie. I was lost in Bella's sweet taste, her perfect body, and her smooth, soft skin.

Before I knew it, I heard the music playing during the closing credits.

I laughed against her mouth. "We completely missed the movie, baby." I knew using that term of endearment would make her smile.

Sure enough, she did. "We did?" She looked over at the TV. "Oh, my God! We did!" She laughed. "I haven't done anything like that since college."

"Me neither." I looked down at her and felt myself get lost in her beautiful, chocolate colored eyes.

"What?"

I smiled at her. "Nothing." I didn't know what just happened, but I loved it.

I reluctantly got up and pulled us off the couch. I grabbed my hat and put it on before checking for my keys and my wallet.

"I guess I should go."

"Yeah," she said, sadly.

I took her hand and we walked out to my bike. "I'll call you later, and I'll be over tomorrow after work. I get off at four, so I can be here around five, unless that's too early."

"No, that's fine." She looked at my bike and smiled. "What kind of bike is that anyways?"

"It's a Ninja ZX-14." I said proudly. "I call it my baby. Well, it was anyway." I looked at Bella and grinned. My most prized possession had just been knocked a couple spots down on the list of most important things in my life.

"Aw, that's sweet."

She obviously knew I meant her. What she didn't realize was that Eli was just as important to me as she was. They were a package deal. I didn't have much experience, but just by spending those few hours with him last weekend, I could tell he was a great kid.

I just grinned some more. "I'll miss you," I murmured as I brought her close to me and kissed her goodbye.

"I'll miss you, too."

* * *

**Bella**

"Momma!" Eli bounded through the door and made a beeline for me.

"Hey, baby!" I enveloped him in my arms and kissed the top of his head. "I missed you! Did you have fun with Daddy?"

"Yeah, Momma! Guess what?!" His eyes were dancing with excitement.

"What?" I asked, feigning my own excitement.

"Daddy got me a snake!"

"Daddy got you a WHAT?" I looked at Jacob who was grinning from ear to ear. "What kind of snake?"

"Just a little baby boa constrictor."

"Eli, can you go take your bag and put all your dirty clothes in your hamper for me please?" I could feel myself on the verge of screaming at Jacob for his stupidity.

"Sure, Momma. I want you to see my snake though!" _Great._

I watched him go up the stairs, dragging his bag behind him. As soon as he was out of sight, I turned on Jacob.

"You got our five-year-old son a snake that wraps itself around its prey? And squeezes the freaking_ life_ out of it? Are you _nuts_?" I screeched.

"Bella. Chill. Seriously. It's a snake. My God, you act like I took him swimming with sharks or something." I just glared at him. "And besides, it's like, this big." He held up his hands with about a foot in between them. "When it gets too big, we'll get rid of it."

I took a deep breath. "Fine. But he does _not_ feed that thing. You do it."

"All right. Is that all Mama Bear?" He was chuckling to himself.

"No. That's not all. I will come over to your apartment sometime this week and see it--for Eli. But after that, it stays with you. I will have no part of that thing. If you've got to go out of town for some reason, you're on your own. I'm not babysitting it. And don't even think about letting him bring it over here."

"Fine." He plopped down on the couch. "So, heard anything else from Cullen?"

"Yeah," I said, softly.

"Care to tell me about it?"

I felt myself grin stupidly. "There's nothing to tell."

"Bullshit." He looked back at the stairs to make sure Eli wasn't back yet. "You're lying through your teeth. You've got this goofy looking expression on your face. You look retarded."

"Gee, thanks," I replied, sarcastically.

"Anytime." He paused. "Did you fuck him?"

"Whoa, there. Excuse me?"

"Sorry." He grinned. "Shouldn't have said it like that. But seriously. Did you?"

"If you must know, no." I was disappointed, which I shouldn't have been, given the fact that we had only known each other for a week.

"But obviously you want to."

He was always able to pick up on my moods. "Of course I do. Have you seen him?"

He laughed. "There's more to it. What aren't you telling me?"

"Um, well...last night we talked about it and decided that we'd only like to date each other."

I don't know why I was so nervous about telling Jacob. It could possibly be because of the way he reacted when I told him about Edward asking me out in the first place--which now that I think about it was a little out of character for Jacob.

"So he's like your boyfriend?" I nodded. "Huh."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I narrowed my eyes.

"Nothing," he said, nonchalantly.

I knew it wasn't 'Nothing', but I let it go...for now. "I just thought I'd let you know that he's coming over tomorrow night to spend time with Eli."

He looked at me incredulously. "That guy actually wants to spend time with our son?"

"Yes," I said, slowly. "Why is that so hard to believe?"

"He's this...this, _guy_, who apparently can get any girl he wants, and he wants to get in a relationship with someone with a kid?"

_Who the hell was I talking to? _

"Are you checking up on him, Jacob?" I asked in disbelief.

"A little. Bella, this guy--I'll admit he doesn't actually do it--but he can take home a different girl every night of the week. The girls just throw themselves at him and his friend...um, shit. What was his name?" He thought about it for a second. "James! Why would he want to get involved with you?"

I was so pissed, I couldn't see straight. I stalked off towards my bedroom and slammed the door.

I collapsed on my bed and let the tears fall freely. I had never fought with Jacob before. I knew I wasn't the biggest prize at the carnival, but I would have never have expected for Jacob to think any less of me than I already thought of myself. But, he was right. Who wanted to get involved with a single mother, carrying around six years of baggage?

I heard a knock on the door but kept silent. I couldn't make my voice work even if I wanted to.

"Aw, Bells. I didn't mean it like that. I'm sorry!" Jacob shouted through the door.

I decided I couldn't have this conversation through my bedroom door, where my son could hear every word.

I reluctantly got up and opened the door, glaring up at Jacob as I did. "Get in here. I'm not doing this in front of Eli."

He nodded and followed me over to the bed to sit beside me.

"Bella. I swear, I didn't mean it like that. I'm sorry it came out like that. I think you are wonderful. You're fun, kind, a great mother, and sexy as hell. Any guy would be lucky to have you in their life," he rambled quickly.

"Fine. Then what did you mean?" My voice had no feeling behind it.

"I don't know. I guess I'm just surprised that a guy like him is actually sticking around, when all the others have turned and walked the other way."

I looked at him curiously. "What do you mean, 'A guy like him'?"

"Well, yes, he's got a great job as a doctor. And he deserves a lot of respect for serving our country and going off to Iraq, volunteering to be there when he didn't have to go. But look at him, Bella. He's this good looking, tatted up, single guy. He goes out on the weekends, partying with his friends and family." He shrugged. "He just doesn't seem like the kind of guy who's ready to settle down anytime soon. And with you, that's what he has to do, since you have Eli."

I nodded my head. I had often wondered this myself. "I get what you're saying." I was going to have to figure out what exactly Edward was doing with me.

"So am I forgiven?" He looked so sad, I had to crack a smile.

"Yeah."

* * *

I had just finished reading Eli his nightly story when I heard my cell phone chirp on the table downstairs. I rushed down the stairs and grabbed it, not bothering to check who it was when I answered.

"Hello?"

"Hey, baby. What are you doing?" I felt the smile spread across my face.

"I just got done putting Eli to bed. What are you doing?" I plopped down on the couch.

"Well, at the risk of sounding cheesy, I'm missing you."

"Really?" Now was as good a time as any to talk about what Jacob had said. "Why?"

"What do you mean, 'why'? You're my girlfriend, that's why," he chuckled.

"But..." I took a deep breath. "Okay. I kind of got in a fight with Jacob about you today, and it made me wonder about some things."

"Bella." He stopped and took a deep breath. "I told you, I don't want to cause problems."

"I know," I said, quietly.

"What was the fight about?"

"Well, at first I got pissed because he acted like I wasn't good enough for you." I heard Edward growl at the other end.

"That's fucking bullshit, Bella."

I smiled. "Thanks, but that's not what he meant. He just didn't understand why a guy like you would be looking to be with someone like me, you know, with a kid and all." I bit my lip nervously.

"Because I _want_ to. God, Bella, you are so amazing. It's all I can do to keep going with my life when you're not around. You're all I think about. It drives me fucking crazy."

"Seriously?" _Holy shit._

He chuckled. "Seriously. I could care less that you have a kid. Actually, no that's not true. Watching you with Eli at the beach last weekend made you even more attractive to me. You're so good with him. And I'm not going to try to be his father or anything. He already has one of those. I just want to be with you. And Eli comes with you."

I felt my eyes fill with tears. "I don't know what to say."

"You could put me out of my misery, and tell me that it's not just me," he laughed.

"Of course it's not just you. I think about you all the time, too. I miss you like crazy when you're not with me. I just have a hard time believing that you, of all people, want to be with me as much as I want to be with you."

"That's just ridiculous, Bella. You have no idea how incredibly hot you are, much less how wonderful you are as a person, do you?" he asked in exasperation.

I blushed. "I guess not."

"Baby, you made my entire family fall in love with you after one day. And Tanya thought you were great, not to mention how hot James thought you were. I have got to be the luckiest guy in the world to have found someone like you. So please remember, it's me who should be wondering what a girl like you is doing with someone like me." The tears that filled my eyes fell down my cheeks with his words.

"Jacob thinks that you're not looking to settle down anytime soon," I sniffled.

"Why's that?"

I sighed. "I guess because of the way you look and the fact that you go out a lot."

"It's true--I wasn't looking to settle down. But, I don't care if we go out every night, drinking and acting like a bunch of idiots, or stay home every night with Eli. If you just so happen to be the person I was meant to marry, then so be it. I'm done. No more bachelorhood for me."

"God, you're great," I whispered.

"Thanks. I think you're great too. Obviously." He paused. "So, what about you? Were you looking to settle down with someone? Is that why Jacob said all that?"

"No. Not at all. I don't care if I ever get married."

"Really?" he asked, doubtfully.

"Really. But I feel the same way. If you're the person that I'm supposed to be with, then so be it. Just as long as I get to be with you."

We sat in silence for a while, while I contemplated everything he had told me. I couldn't imagine this amazing creature felt this way about me. It was then I realized I was falling for him--hard. There would never be another like Edward in my life. And I wasn't sure I would ever want anyone else ever again.

"Do you know what I wish I could do right now?"

My brows knit. "What?"

"I wish that I could kiss you. I miss your lips, your taste. You taste so fucking good, Bella."

I blushed. "So do you."

He lightened up the conversation, talking to me about some of the stupid things Emmett did over the weekend, before telling me that he needed to let me go.

"Oh, before I forget. Carlisle and Esme would like you to come over for dinner sometime this week."

"Um, okay," I said, nervously.

"And you are to bring Eli."

I smiled. "All right."

"So, I'll see you tomorrow after work, right?"

He sounded worried, like I was going to tell him not to bother coming. "Of course."

"Okay. Goodnight, my beautiful Bella."

I snorted. "You're so cheesy tonight!"

"Yep, you bring out the cornball in me, so just get used to it."

I laughed. "I'll see you tomorrow night. Bye."

"Bye."


	7. Chapter 7

**Lemony goodness at the end...**

**As always, thanks for the reviews!**

* * *

Chapter 7

**Edward**

I hopped out of my Volvo and nervously ran my hand through my hair. I wanted my time with Bella and Eli to be perfect. My lack of experience with kids was causing me to have a major mental meltdown. What if tonight felt awkward and forced? I didn't want anything to mess up what I had going with Bella.

I took a deep breath and knocked on the door. Things had gone so smoothly, had been so natural between us so far; I had to believe that this would be no different.

The door opened, and I looked down to see Eli's smiling face. "Hey, buddy. How's it going?"

"Momma! Edward's here! Edward's here!" He grabbed my hand and tugged me through the door while I laughed at his excitement.

I stepped into the living room and was assaulted by the most wonderful smell imaginable.

"What's your mom making?" My mouth was watering.

"Spsgetti," he answered. "It's my favorite."

"Yum. Mine too." He looked up at me in awe, and I winked.

"Hey!" I looked up to see Bella coming over to us, wiping her hands on a dishtowel.

"Hi." I knew I was grinning like a fool.

She crossed the room, and I immediately pulled her into my arms, kissing her gently on the cheek.

I pulled back and looked into her smiling face. "I hope you don't mind eating spaghetti. Eli's been after me for a week to make it for him."

"Not at all. I was just telling Eli that it's my favorite." I grinned crookedly at her.

She looked over at Eli. "He did?"

"Yeah. Momma, can I watch TV while you make dinner?" He stared up at her pleadingly.

"I guess so." She rolled her eyes and turned back to me. "He could watch TV all day, every day if I let him."

I followed her back into the kitchen, grabbing her face and kissing her fiercely once we were out of sight. My tongue ran over hers, and I heard her sigh. After a few seconds, I reluctantly broke the kiss so that I didn't get carried away.

"Okay. I'm better now." She looked up at me and grinned. "I didn't want to do that in front of Eli. Might get a little too PG-13 for him."

"I appreciate that." She turned back to the stove and stirred the sauce.

"Is there anything I can help you with?" I looked around her immaculate kitchen, trying to find something I could do.

"Um, I guess you could grab everything out of the fridge and make a salad." She looked over her shoulder at me. "It's all cut up, all you have to do is tear the lettuce and throw everything together in a bowl. Think you can handle that?"

I chuckled. "There's no actual cooking involved, so we should be safe."

I grabbed what felt like a hundred plastic bowls and containers and the lettuce that was sitting on the shelf. I tore the lettuce into smaller pieces, wanting to make sure none were too large for Eli, before dumping the carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, and red onion slices into the bowl.

"That looks really good," she commented as she peered around me. "Do you like cheese and croutons on your salad?"

"Yeah."

I looked over to see her get a block of cheddar out of the fridge and a grater out of the drawer. She grated the cheese over the bowl for a minute, and then got a bag of croutons out of the pantry.

"Did you make those yourself?"

"Uh-huh."

"Is this what dinner is like at your house every night?" It was such a production. Even Esme didn't put this much effort into cooking.

She smiled. "Pretty much. Unless I'm too tired to cook, then we usually get pizza. And the occasional Happy Meal." I nodded. "Can you tell Eli that he needs to wash up while I drain the pasta?"

"Sure." I quickly kissed her before leaving the room.

I found Eli sitting on the couch, engrossed in an episode of Scooby-Doo.

"You like Scooby-Doo?"

He glanced over at me. "Yeah, it's mine and Momma's favorite."

I gave him a quick smile. We had a lot in common. "Mine too."

"Really?" His eyes were huge.

"Yep. My favorite is the one where they have to find out who's behind the Tiki ghost when they're on vacation in Hawaii." I cleared my throat. "My favorite part is when Shaggy freaks out about seeing a ghost and Fred tells him to get a hold of himself, so Shaggy hugs himself like this." I showed him, wrapping my arms around myself. "And then says, 'Like, okay, but it doesn't help'." I did my best to do Shaggy's voice.

He giggled. "That's funny."

"Have you seen it?"

He shook his head. "Nope."

"Well, I'll just have to bring it over sometime." I gave him a smile.

"Cool!" he exclaimed.

"Your mom said for you to get washed up. Dinner's ready."

"Okay." He hopped off the couch and disappeared in the bathroom.

I went back to the kitchen to see Bella carrying bowls and plates over to the table.

"Here, let me get something." I took the bowl of salad from her and took it to the table.

"Thanks."

Eli came bouncing in the kitchen and sat down at the table. Bella started putting food on his plate, and I noticed that no one had a drink yet.

"What does everyone want to drink?"

Bella looked over at me and grinned. "I was getting to that."

"I've got it. What do you want?"

"I want some milk, please, Edward." Eli interrupted.

"Wow, that was polite. I'm shocked!" Bella teased.

"You told me that I had to be polite to people!" Eli said, confused.

"Yes. I did. I just can't believe you listened to me!" She looked back at me. "I'll just have water, thanks."

I got our drinks and carried them back to the table, taking the seat next to Bella. She and I put spaghetti and garlic bread on our plates and salad in our bowls. I took a bite and groaned.

"This is really good, Bella."

She blushed and smiled. "Thanks."

Eli looked at the two of us. "Yeah, Momma. It's really good."

Her smile widened. "Well, thank you, Eli."

We ate in silence for a while before Eli spoke up. "Momma? Can I ask Edward about being in the Navy now?"

"Um, if it's okay with Edward, I guess."

I smiled at him. "Sure thing, Eli. Shoot."

He grinned. "Did you kill any bad guys?"

I chuckled and shook my head. "No, I didn't. I didn't have to." Thank fucking God. "But I did have to take care of some of the Marines that had been shot by the bad guys."

"But can you use a gun?" His eyes were dancing with excitement.

"Yes, I can." I wanted to be as honest as possible.

"Can you teach me sometime?"

I looked at Bella who was shaking her head. "I don't think so. You're still too little to be able to handle a gun. Maybe when you get older, I'll show you some day."

He frowned. "I'm not a baby."

"Eli-" Bella started, but I held up my hand and pleaded silently for me to answer him.

"No, you're not. But Eli, guns have what's called a kickback, and you have to be big and strong so that it doesn't knock you down. You need to be a little older so that you don't get hurt. Or hurt someone else by mistake."

He looked at me pleadingly. "But you'll teach me when I get big enough, right?"

I smiled. "I'd love to. But it has to be okay with your mom and dad." He nodded. "Do you have any more questions for me?"

"Yeah. Were you on one of those big ships like Daddy and I saw on TV once?"

I took a bite. "It depends on which ship you saw. I've been on a few. Do you remember what kind it was?"

His brows knit. "No."

"Well, how about I tell you which ones I've been on and then you can tell me if that's like the one you saw with your dad?"

He beamed at me. "Okay!"

"I've been on an aircraft carrier, a few different types of battleships, an assault ship, a couple of submarines, and a destroyer."

"That's it! A destroyer!" Eli bounced in his seat happily. "What's it do?'

It continued like this for an hour, until I had finally answered all of Eli's questions. We cleaned everything up, Eli giving us the plates to put in the dishwasher, before all three of us went into the living room.

"Eli, sweetie? Can you go upstairs and get your pj's on? Then we can watch a movie with Edward until it's time for bed."

"Okay! I wanna watch Shrek!" He took off up the stairs.

Bella exhaled in exasperation. "Great. I hope you like Shrek."

I pulled her closer to me on the couch. "Love it."

I took the opportunity to run my mouth along her jaw, kissing her softly, and feeling her shiver in response. I heard Eli running back down the stairs and sat back up.

"Edward? Will you play cars with me while we watch Shrek?" Eli bit his lip as he waited for my answer, reminding me of Bella.

"Yep."

I got off the couch and sat down on the floor next to Eli. He pulled out a bin of cars and handed me a few while Bella put the movie in.

"Wow, you have a lot of cars." He had more than Emmett and I had as kids combined.

"Yeah. Daddy and Papaw get me cars all the time." He made engine noises before stopping the car and making a squealing noise.

"That's really nice of them."

We played cars, built a huge house out of Duplos, set up a train track and then destroyed it, and played with this giant pirate ship, killing 'bad guys' left and right. I heard the music playing on the movie and realized we'd played the entire time. I glanced back at Bella to see she was watching us intently.

"Hey, Edward?"

I looked over at Eli who had a strange expression on his face. "What is it, Eli?"

"Are you Momma's boyfriend?"

I heard Bella make a choking noise behind me. "What do you think?" I asked, grinning.

"I think you are." He looked down at the pirate in his hand.

"Is that okay?" I asked hesitantly.

He snapped his head up and looked at me. "You mean you are?!"

I chuckled. "Yeah."

He nodded his head. "Do you kiss her?"

"Sometimes." My brows knit. "Why?"

"That's really gross." He scrunched up his nose, causing me to laugh.

"I don't think it's gross," I stated.

"Eli, you need to clean up now. It's time for bed."

I looked back at Bella and gave her a crooked smile before helping Eli clean up. He went upstairs to brush his teeth, and I grabbed Bella's hand, pulling her to me.

I cupped her face in my hands and ran circles with my thumbs across her cheeks. "He is an extremely smart kid."

"Yeah. You were really great with him."

I smiled. "Thanks. I was pretty worried about it at first, but it turned out to be for no reason. I loved playing with him."

We heard Eli come running down the stairs and broke away from each other.

"I'm ready!"

"All right. Let's get you in the bed, baby." Bella started towards the steps.

"Good night, Edward!" Eli came over and wrapped his arms around my legs.

I looked up at Bella in surprise before leaning down and hugging him back. "Good night, Eli. I had a lot of fun tonight. Next time I'll make sure to bring Scooby-Doo over so you can watch that episode I told you about."

"Okay. Cool! Maybe next time we can play a game on my Wii!"

"You're on. I am awesome at Mario Kart." I grinned down at him. "There's no way you can beat me."

"Yeah, right! I beat Momma and Daddy every time!"

"We'll just see about that." I looked over at Bella who had tears in her eyes. "Eli, would it gross you out too much if I kissed your mom really quick?"

He glanced back at Bella and grinned. "No."

I went over to her and hugged her against me tightly before kissing her softly, keeping it strictly Disney movie-like.

I looked at her questioningly. "What's wrong?"

She looked at me, smiling. "I'm just happy."

"Me too," I whispered.

I stepped back and glanced over at Eli. He was poking his finger in his mouth and acting like he was going to throw up.

I laughed. "Yeah, you tell me if you still feel the same way in ten years."

"Yuck. Mom that's just gross." He walked over to Bella and she ruffled his hair.

"Oh, be quiet. You were the one who told him it was okay."

* * *

**Bella**

I came back down the stairs to find Edward sitting on the couch, fiddling with the remote. I leaned against the railing and tried to compose myself. I was so happy--no, that wasn't the right word--I couldn't think of a word that could possibly describe the feelings that were running through me. Elated, ecstatic, overjoyed, euphoric--those came close, but still weren't enough.

Edward and Eli had gotten along great. I had obsessed about it all day, worrying whether or not Edward would feel comfortable with Eli; if Eli would want Edward around. Even though Jacob was a great father, it had always been just the two of us. I couldn't help but wonder how Eli would react to someone inserting themselves into our little family.

I shook the thoughts out of my head and went over to Edward.

"Need any help?" I smirked.

"How the fuck do you do this thing?" He looked at the remote angrily.

I giggled. "It's a universal remote. It controls everything. If you hit this button," I pointed to the button labeled 'Activities', "you can access what you want to do."

He pushed the button and saw the screen change, showing him a list of things he could do. "Okay, now what?"

"Well, what do you want to do?"

He blew out a breath. "I just want to watch the stupid TV."

I smiled. "All right, hit this button here." He did as instructed. "Now you can touch the activity on the screen. Make sure you keep the remote still and pointed towards the TV until everything is set up."

He nodded. Once the TV was playing some random sitcom, he spoke. "I know a lot about technology, but this is absolutely ridiculous."

"Blame Jacob for that one. He bought it and set it up when we moved. It took me an entire week to figure out how to watch a DVD," I laughed.

He shifted himself on the couch so that he was facing me. "So what do you say we do this again tomorrow night at my house?"

"You want Eli and I to come over to your place?" I asked, surprised.

"Um, yeah? Why wouldn't I? You have yet to see where I live." He gave me a crooked smile. "It's not a mansion or anything, but I don't live in a trailer park, either."

I laughed a little. "Yeah. All right. What time?"

"Same time?"

"Okay." I heard my cell phone chirp and quickly pulled it out of my pocket, frowning when I read the caller ID.

"Who is it?"

"Jacob," I muttered.

Edward said nothing, just raised his eyebrows and watched me.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Bells. I just wanted to see how tonight went."

My forehead creased. "Great. Why?"

"No reason. Eli and Cullen got along okay?" he asked curiously.

"Yeah. They got along great. Eli even gave him a hug goodnight when I put him to bed."

"Oh?" He sounded surprised. "Is he still there?"

"Yeah." I looked at Edward, completely baffled.

"Oh, okay. Um, listen, do you think I could talk to him for a second?" he asked, nervously.

"Why?" I could hear the skepticism in my voice.

"Please, Bells? Just for a sec."

"Be nice," I commanded.

"I will."

I held the phone out to Edward and he looked at me in confusion. "Jacob wants to talk to you. I'm sorry." I wasn't sure what I was getting him into.

He nodded his head and took the phone. "Hello?"

I bit my lip anxiously, waiting for him to say something. He just stayed silent with his brows furrowed while he listened to Jacob.

"That's not going to be a problem, trust me. Listen, my brother is having a party this Saturday and they have invited you and Eli, along with Bella," he said tersely. Apparently, he wasn't happy with Jacob at the moment.

"All right. Then I'll see you Saturday." He hung up and looked at me.

"Oh, God. What now?" I flopped back and looked at the ceiling.

"It wasn't anything terrible." He paused. "Bella." I didn't answer. "Bella, look at me, baby."

I looked over at him tentatively. "So then, what was it?"

"He just wanted to tell me that even though he thought I was a nice enough guy, he wanted to do the typical warning and tell me that if I hurt you or Eli, he would hunt me down and kill me."

I wasn't sure if I believed him. "That's all?"

"Yes." The disbelief must have been written all over my face. "I promise," he laughed.

"That's not so bad," I admitted.

"No, it wasn't."

"Then why did you seem so unhappy?" I bit my lip, waiting for his answer.

"Honestly?"

"Honestly." He looked into my eyes, seemingly searching for something.

"I just don't like him. I'm sorry." He ran his hand through his hair.

"You don't? Why not?"

"Well, for one thing he made you cry when he said all those things to you yesterday. I don't know how to explain it, but I feel like there's this primal urge in me to defend you. And I know I can't since he is such a big part of your life, as Eli's father. And the other thing being..." He trailed off and grabbed my hands. "Don't be mad at me for suggesting this. It's just how I feel. I could be completely wrong."

I met his apologetic eyes and nodded. "What?"

"I don't think it's all friendship for him." I felt my mouth drop open. "I don't know. It may be that way for you, but I don't think it is for him. Or at least, there was at some point feelings on his part that were more than friendship for you."

I scoffed. "Please! It's Jacob. There's nothing there. He's like family. And I know he feels the same way."

The thought of Jacob wanting something other than friendship with me was insane.

"How do you know?"

"He told me!" I said in frustration.

He nodded. "Okay. I'm sorry. Like I said, it was just something I felt and I could be completely wrong. But Bella, I swear to you. I think he reacted the way he did about me because I'm the first guy he's ever had to worry about taking his spot in your life."

I laughed. "His spot is as my best friend and pseudo-brother. And I would hope you would consider yourself more."

He grinned crookedly. "Of course I fucking do. I would never in a million years consider doing this with my sister."

His eyes were smoldering as he leaned down over me, forcing me onto my back, as he assaulted my mouth with his. His hand ran up and down my side, causing heat to flash through my body. I fisted my hands in his hair and pulled him closer to me as I moved my leg up so that he was resting in between my thighs.

I broke away from his mouth, gasping for air. "More," I breathed, not wanting a repeat of yesterday.

He trailed kisses across my jaw and down my neck before getting to the swell of my breast. He moved the tank top out of the way, and looked down.

"Fuck, you're gorgeous," he said with a smile.

He moved down my body and plundered my breast with his mouth, flicking my nipple with his tongue as he continued to massage it with his hand.

"Oh, God. Edward," I breathed.

I felt his other hand slowly snake down my body and unbutton my jeans. He pulled the zipper down and slowly put his hand inside my panties.

"Bella," he mumbled against my breast. "Can I touch you?"

"Please," I whispered. I needed him so badly.

His fingers ran down my slit and plunged inside me. He pumped in and out gently while he ran his palm across my clit, applying pressure with it before he moved his hand and positioned it so that his thumb ran across my clit while his other two fingers continued to move inside me. I felt him curl them up and my hips involuntarily bucked up.

"Edward!" I wanted to shout, but it came out as a whisper so that I didn't wake Eli as I came.

He didn't stop moving his fingers as my body writhed underneath him. I could feel that wonderful warmth spread throughout me again. "Oh, God!"

I shuddered as my second orgasm rushed through my body, stronger than the first. Apparently satisfied, he leaned down and kissed me as he slowly stopped moving his fingers and pulled them out of my jeans. Before I could register the movement, he quickly moved away from me so that he was no longer touching me.

I laid there, gasping for air, while I struggled to control the desire I had to strip Edward of all his clothes and ride him until the sun rose.

"Good God, Edward. Where did you learn to do that?" I looked over at him and knew my cheeks were flushed and my lips were swollen.

He shrugged. "All those years of playing the piano and guitar paid off." He gave me a smug smile.

"I'll say. I thought your hands would be rough, but they weren't at all. Even though I could feel the calluses on them, they were so soft." I reached over and ran my hand down the tattoo on his arm.

He moved even farther away from me and faced the wall, holding his head in his hands. I had no idea what was going through his mind.

I pulled myself off the couch and crouched down in front of him, waiting until he looked at me.

When he finally did, I spoke. "What are you doing?"

"Trying to calm down so that I don't go too far."

"Edward..." I trailed off, and he watched me in confusion.

I kneeled in between his legs and ran my hand down his stomach before unbuttoning his jeans and putting it inside his boxers.

"Bella!" he hissed as I closed my hand around him.

"What?" I asked innocently.

I pumped him in my hand quickly, causing him to throw his head back and groan. I continued to pump my hand up and down while he bucked his hips to meet my hand.

"Fuck, baby. I'm so close." He was straining to be quiet.

He let out a guttural moan as his body was overtook with his orgasm. I could feel it pulsing through his body as it sent his liquid shooting up onto his stomach.

I leaned up and kissed him. "Now that we've gotten that out of the way, would you like to clean up, and then we can watch a movie?"

He laughed. "Where's my girlfriend?" I smiled and blushed. "Ah, there you are."

I giggled, feeling pretty damn satisfied with myself. "Come on before you ruin your shirt."


	8. Chapter 8

**As always, thanks for the reviews!**

* * *

Chapter 8

**Bella**

And that was our life for the two weeks. Edward and I went over to each other's houses every day, playing with Eli and eating dinner together then making out or going to second base on my couch after Eli went to sleep. Any big plans we had made had been postponed; Emmett and Rosalie's party was postponed to this Saturday due to the weather, and my first appearance at Carlisle's and Esme's house had been postponed until further noticed due to an emergency surgery Carlisle had the night we planned to get together.

I hadn't spoken much to Jacob, just a casual 'hello' whenever he came to pick up Eli to spend the night with him--which was only twice. Jacob had been working overtime and hadn't had much time to spend with Eli, which in turn interfered with any possible date I might have been able to have with Edward. We hadn't been on an actual _date_ in over two weeks. We spent all our time with Eli, taking him to the zoo and down to the lake to see the fireworks display for Independence Day.

"How much longer, Momma?" Eli was wiggling anxiously in his booster seat in the back.

"Not much, baby. We should be there soon."

"Can you drive faster?" he huffed.

I laughed under my breath. "What are you in such a hurry for? We're not late!"

"I want to play with Edward!" He eyed the bag of toys he had brought along with him.

We pulled in front of Edward's large brick house. I looked at the house and frowned. It was completely unlike I had expected--huge.

"We're here."

Eli quickly unbuckled his seatbelt and grabbed the bag of toys before hopping out of the car. "Come on, Mom!" he groaned.

He raced up to the front door, leaving me back at the car. I quickly grabbed my purse and locked the car before jogging up the walk to where he was standing.

I started to reach for the doorbell, but Eli swatted my hand away. "I wanna do it, please?" He looked up at me pleadingly.

"Okay."

He rang the doorbell and a few short seconds later, we were greeted with Edward, who was scowling.

He quickly hid his scowl and looked at Eli. "How's it going, little man?"

"Edward!" Eli latched on to his leg. "I brought some toys for us to play with!"

Edward looked up at me and smiled. "You did, huh? What did you bring me?"

Eli rolled his eyes. "They're not yours! I'm taking them back home with me!" He was grinning.

"Well, crap. And here I thought you brought me a present. After all, you _did_ miss my birthday." He winked at Eli.

"How old are you?" he asked, curiously.

"Thirty."

Eli's mouth dropped open. "Wow! You're old!"

Edward laughed loudly. "Yep." He playfully pulled him into the house. "Now, get in here before I change my mind and decide to send you and your mom back home."

I followed closely behind them and frowned. Something smelled like it was burning. Suddenly, my eyes widened, and I looked at Edward.

"What did you do?"

"What do you mean?" he asked innocently, but was fidgeting with the cuffs on his wrist.

"Why does it smell like something's burning?"

He huffed out a breath. "Because it was."

I giggled. "What?"

"Come with me." He grabbed my hand and led me from the cream colored foyer, into the little hallway that led to his huge kitchen.

"Does this make me a bad girlfriend if I tell you I am _so_ pissed that your kitchen is better than mine?"

I was envious of his kitchen from the first time I saw it. It was painted a warm tan color and had cream colored tile with the breakfast nook leading out to his deck. The maple cabinets were stained a light color and were topped with granite that had swirls of black, tan, and khaki running through it. Over his island was a pewter colored pot rack, with copper pots hanging from it. Top that off with a massive sink, a double wall oven, gas range, dishwasher, and his huge refrigerator, I was irritated that my boyfriend had a better kitchen that I did and couldn't even _use_ it.

He laughed at me. "Depends. Are you planning on breaking up with me over it?"

I smiled. "Not as long as I get to use it whenever I want."

"Deal." He grinned.

"So, let me guess. You tried to cook something and burned it?"

He looked at me sheepishly. "Something like that." He opened the top oven and pulled out a chicken. "The chicken's not burnt, but it leaked everywhere in the oven... That's where the burning smell came from."

I felt myself grinning from ear to ear. "You tried to cook for me?"

"Yeah," he said, nervously, running his hand through his hair.

I walked over to him, hugging him before kissing him fiercely on the lips. "You are a great guy, Edward Cullen."

"Thank you," he replied, genuinely.

I looked at the chicken. "I can save this. What did you season it with?"

"Salt?"

I laughed softly. "Do you have any spices?" He nodded. "All right. Show me where your spices are, and I'll fix this bad boy up."

He opened up a cabinet by the stove that held the few dried spices he had. I would have rather used fresh, but this would do for now.

I put the chicken in a different pan and placed it back into the oven, adjusting the time. "This has convection on it. Next time, use that instead of baking it."

"Um, okay." He looked confused.

"Why do you have spices if you don't cook?"

"Because, my mother hoped I would eventually take a cooking class or something." He gave me a crooked smile. "Although, now that I'm dating you, I don't need to."

He pulled me into his arms while I laughed. "So, you're just going to rely on me, huh?"

"You love to cook, right?" I nodded my head slowly. "Then who am I to deny you something you love?" He smiled broadly at me.

Eli came running in, yelling at Edward.

"What do you have, Eli?" Edward questioned. "Guns?"

"Yeah, I brought my guns!" Eli held his toy pistols in front on him proudly.

"Hmm. Those are nice. But you might like this better." Edward started out of the kitchen.

"What is it?" Eli was bouncing up and down.

"Patience." Edward smiled warmly at him.

We followed Edward down the hall and turned the corner, into the master suite. I caught a glimpse of his two-story living room with vaulted ceilings just before we walked into his bedroom-- I loved that room.

His bedroom was painted a different shade of cream than the hall and the foyer, and it had a tray ceiling that had been accented with dark brown paint. His king size sleigh bed stood in the middle of the room and was draped with a slate blue comforter.

"You know, I haven't asked you this yet. What is a single guy doing in a house like this?" It wasn't a mansion, but it wasn't the cute little house on the corner I'd pictured at first either.

"Relax. This was my parents' house. I bought it from them when I came back from Iraq."

I looked at him curiously. "Why did your parents sell it?"

"They moved on to bigger and better things." He gave me a smirk. "You'll see. Speaking of which, Esme is free tomorrow, if you are."

I nodded and swallowed nervously. "Tomorrow's great." We had walked into his walk-in closet and were now in front of a massive gun safe. "Uh, Edward?" There was no way Eli was going to touch whatever guns he had locked in that safe.

He chuckled at me. "It's right here." He reached up and grabbed a toy rifle off the top, handing it to Eli.

Eli's eyes were huge and his smile took up his whole face. "This is so cool!"

"Yep, pretty sweet, isn't it?" Edward smiled back at him. "I had my mom find it for you . I played with it when I was little."

"Really?" Eli examined the gun closely.

"Yeah. It's yours on one condition." Eli looked up at him expectantly. "You have to leave it here so that you have something to play with when you come over. You know, in case you forget your toys from home."

"Okay! Thanks, Edward!" He happily ran out back into another part of the house, shooting invisible bad guys.

I looked up at him and felt my heart swell in my chest. He was unbelievable.

"You didn't have to do that," I said, shyly.

"I wanted to. I really love seeing that smile on his face." He cupped my face in his hand. "I can't wait till we have our own kids."

I gulped. "Um, what?"

He saw my nervousness and laughed. "Well, not right this second, Bella!"

I let out the breath I didn't realize I was holding. "Oh, right." I blushed. "Sorry, I just want to do it the right way next time."

He was still laughing. "We'll be married before we have kids, I promise."

I thought my eyes would pop out of my head and roll around on the floor. "You want to marry me?"

"Well, as of now, yes." He grinned crookedly. "But let me see how I feel a year from now, and I'll let you know."

He was joking. "Oh." I was disappointed, but again, didn't know why.

"Bella?" I looked back up at him and saw that his eyes were swirling with passion. "Are you all right?" I could only nod, my heart was pounding furiously in my chest and I could barely breathe. I wasn't sure what was wrong with me.

He looked like he wanted to say something, but didn't. "I guess we should go see where Eli chased the bad guys to. I don't hear him anymore."

I stood there and listened. "I don't either."

He leaned down and pressed his lips to mine, running his tongue across my lips. As soon as our tongues met, I heard my cell phone chirp in my pocket.

He looked at me frowning, clearly annoyed that we had been interrupted. I opened up the phone and answered it sharply.

"Hello?"

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Jacob chuckled on the other end.

I sighed. Of course it would be Jacob. He had this uncanny ability to call me at the worst times possible--like when I was kissing Edward. Although, I spent almost all my free time with Edward now, so it was bound to happen.

"Nothing." I looked up at Edward and he mouthed that he was going to find Eli. I nodded before speaking again. "What's up?"

"What are you guys doing today? I was kind of hoping to take you guys to see the new Ice Age movie. It came out last week."

I walked out of the closet and into the living room. "Um, today's not good, actually. How about next week sometime?"

"Why? I haven't gotten to see Eli in a while. I finally got a few days off." He sounded angry.

"Because I'm busy. It's not like the movie's going to stop playing tomorrow. It'll still be there next week."

I looked up to see Edward walking back downstairs with Eli, chatting happily.

"Where are you at?"

I closed my eyes and exhaled sharply. "We're actually at Edward's house now."

"You're WHAT?" Jacob screamed so loudly in my ear, Edward's head snapped in my direction. I looked at Edward in shock as Jacob continued to assault my ear drum. "You took my son to his house without talking to me!"

"So? We've been here before," I said timidly. I wasn't sure what the problem was.

"DAMN IT BELLA!" He screamed. I was holding the phone away from my ear while Edward distracted Eli. "Maybe I wanted to see where this guy _lives_ before you take my son over there! I am his _father_! I have a right to know where you're going to take him and approve it before you go!"

I darted out the front door and stood on the porch. "Are you fucking kidding me?! You don't have the right to do anything like that at _all_!" I screamed angrily. "There's no custody agreement between us! Hell, I don't even make you pay child support, you son of a bitch!"

"What if this guy's some sort of serial killer or rapist, Bella!" I scoffed at him. It was all I could do, I was so pissed. "Tell me where he lives. I'll come over there and check it out and then leave. I just want to know Eli's in a good part of town."

"Like hell I will! There is no way I'm letting you near my son or Edward in this state. You can just sit your happy ass at home and calm the fuck down!"

"OUR SON!" he roared.

"Yes, _our_ son. That still doesn't mean you get to tell me how to live my FUCKING LIFE!" I shakily hit the end button and collapsed on the step.

_Fucking prick!_ I couldn't believe Jacob was acting this way. I sat there with my head buried in my hands and cried, losing all track of time. Once the tears subsided, it quickly dawned on me that there may be more to Edward's theory of Jacob having feelings for me than what I had originally thought. Why else would he behave this way?

I heard the door open and quietly close behind me as I continued to stare at the ground. Edward's arms wrapped around me and a laid my head on his shoulder. There was no way I was giving this up, not even for Jacob.

"Are you all right, love?" My heart stuttered in my chest as I heard this new term of endearment.

I looked at him with wide eyes, trying to find out where it came from, only to see nothing. "I'll be fine once we get Jacob a girlfriend."

He gave me a small smile. "Think I'm right?"

I inhaled deeply. "I don't know what else it could be."

He rubbed his hand soothingly up and down my arm. "I'm sorry, baby."

"It's not your fault."

I looked up at his face and saw his eyes were heavy with guilt. "What happened?"

"You couldn't hear it?"

He laughed silently. "Some of it."

"He got pissed because he _finally _had time to spend time with his son for the next few days and then yelled at me for bringing Eli here without telling him, then demanded that I tell him where you live so he could _approve_ it." My voice was dripping with venom.

He nodded. "Not to change the subject or anything, but the timer went off on the oven a couple of minutes ago."

"Better go check on it. I'd hate to ruin it over Jacob's ignorance." I started to get up but he pulled me back down.

"Bella, I..." he trailed off. "I-I'm sorry." He looked so sad, I immediately felt panicked.

"You're not going to want to break up because of this or anything are you?" I choked out.

He took his hands in my face. "Of course not! I told you, I don't want to ever let you go. We'll figure this out."

I nodded and felt the tears forming in my eyes again. I closed my eyes and felt Edward's fingers trace along my cheekbones, wiping away my tears, before kissing me tenderly. I finally broke away and looked into his beautiful emerald eyes. What I saw there nearly took my breath away, and it was then I knew--I loved him.

"If Jacob has a few days off, do you think we could go out on Friday? I'd love to take you out on a date. I haven't gotten to show you any of the city, like I promised."

I managed to smile. "That sounds great."

* * *

**Edward**

Like hell I was going to break up with her. Not after realizing only thirty minutes before that I was in love with her. And Eli, for that matter. I wanted to tell her in the closet, before that asshole Jacob interrupted us and went on the rampage. I swear, that guy is going to have to take some fucking anger management classes. Which is sad, coming from a guy who uses the shooting range to clear his head and help calm his own over-active temper.

I wanted to tell her on the porch, but chickened out. It was too soon, I didn't want to scare her off. After all, I've only known her for... A month.

_Holy shit! How can I love someone I've only known for a month? _

It felt so much longer, like we had been in a relationship for years and knew everything about one another.

But it was true, I loved Bella. I wanted to do all those things I thought I'd never do. I wanted to fucking marry her, have babies with her, be Eli's step-father, get a dog, have the house with the white picket fence and the swing set in the backyard--I wanted it all.

I tried to push the thoughts from my head and help Bella in the kitchen. Once I had helped her find everything she needed, I watched her silently. It was the perfect sight--Bella in my kitchen. I could imagine her years from now, standing in this same kitchen, wearing my ring on her finger, cooking dinner for our family.

_Fuck, I'm in trouble._

I scrubbed my hands over my face and buried it. "Do you need any help?"

"No, I'm fine. What's Eli doing?"

"He's playing Rock Band upstairs in the bonus room." I had him set up on beginner so that he wouldn't get booed off stage.

She smiled. "Huh. The musician has a music game. Surprise, surprise."

I laughed and felt my cell phone buzzing in my pocket. I pulled it out and smiled. "It's Jazz."

I started to walk out of the kitchen before I answered it. I needed to talk to him about the whole I'm-in-love-with-Bella-already-Jacob's-an-asshole-how-do-we-keep-it-from-Eli predicament.

"Hey, Jazz. What's up?" I asked, smiling.

"Nothin' man, just callin' to find out if you're going to Emmett's and Rosie's on Saturday."

"Yep. Bella and I are brining Eli, and I told Jacob what day it had been postponed to, even though now I wish I hadn't." I felt the scowl on my face.

"What the fuck happened, dude?"

I took a deep breath. "I need to talk to you."

"What's up?"

"I'm in love with Bella. What the fuck do I do?" I said quietly, trying to make sure I wasn't overheard.

"What do you mean, 'What the fuck do I do'? You tell her, dumbass!"

"Yeah, but it's only been a month! I can't tell her! She'll think I'm psychotic!"

He laughed. "Nah. I doubt it. Do you think she could feel the same way?"

I smiled. He went from brother-in-law, to therapist in a split second. "I think so. She seemed to freak out when she thought I might break up with her. And the way she looks at me sometimes, I think it's the same way I catch myself looking at her."

"Whoa, whoa. Back up. Why would she think you're going to break up with her?"

I explained what happened with Jacob. "Jazz, I think he loves her, man. I think he's just been lying in wait, waiting for Bella to realize that there's never going to be anyone else before he made his move. And then I came along and fucked it all up."

"Why would you think this?"

I barked out a laugh. "Well, let's see. Maybe because he flipped out today on her, he's basically told her she wasn't good enough for someone like me, and put the seed of doubt in her mind about anyone like me ever wanting to be with someone like her. Someone with a kid. Oh, and he's barely spoken a word to her in the last two weeks."

"Jesus. You want my advice?"

I swallowed. "Yeah."

"Here it is. Ignore him. Eventually he'll screw up so bad that Bella will never want to speak to him outside of being her son's father or he'll tell her himself how he feels--which is unrequited. And for God's sake, man up and tell her how you feel. This is totally out of character for you."

"I know," I groaned. "I just don't want her thinking that I'm saying it because of Jacob."

"Then wait until this has blown over and tell her when the time is right. But seriously, get your head out of your ass and tell her."

"Oh, shit!" I realized I called her 'love' outside earlier. "I don't know if she caught it or not, but outside I called her 'love'."

He laughed at me. "Well, sounds to me like you already told her."

"Very funny," I muttered.

"You said it, not me. Just tell her! If she paid any attention, then she's already got the idea."

"Yeah. All right." I looked up to see Eli coming down the steps. "Listen, I've gotta go."

"Keep me posted."

"Sure." I ended the call and looked at Eli. "Are you done?"

"No, but will you play with me?"

"Sure," I said smiling.

We walked upstairs and I set it up so that we could both play. I looked over at Eli and saw that he was looking at my guitars.

"Did you change your mind?"

"No. Hey, can you play these?"

"Yeah. Want me to play something?"

"Yeah," he grinned.

I picked up the electric guitar and plugged it into the amp before quickly tuning it.

"What song do you want me to play?"

He shrugged. "I dunno."

I played a goofy version of London Bridge and he giggled.

"Hey, I know! Play Momma's favorite!" he said, excitedly.

"All right, what is it?" I had no idea. It seemed to change daily.

"Um..." He thought for a second. "I don't know what it's called."

I chuckled. "Well, how about you pick out a song from the game, and I'll play it."

"Kay!" He scrolled through the songs before finally finding one he wanted. "This one!"

"You sure?"

"Yeah, Momma loves it." _Me too._

I had barely started playing _Everlong_ by the Foo Fighters when Bella walked in. She looked at me, her eyes glazing over and her mouth dropping open. I had to concentrate on not laughing so that I didn't mess up the lyrics.

The guitar break came, and I looked over at Bella, who I swear had drool rolling down her chin, causing me to laugh hysterically.

"Do you want to sing with us?" I asked in between laughs. Eli was dancing and shouting in the middle of the room to the song.

"I can't sing that low." Her face was red with embarrassment.

"Sing an octave higher."

She looked at me in confusion before the light bulb went off in her head, and she rushed over and joined in on the second verse, sounding like an angel. I watched her sing in awe. She looked beautiful, swinging her hips as she sang, stealing glances at Eli. When she finally looked at me, she smiled widely.

We finished playing the song and I grabbed her waist, pulling her onto my lap. "That was great, Eli," I said with a smile before turning to Bella. "I had no idea you could sing like that!"

Her face grew red again. "Me? What about you?" She looked at me. "You were amazing! How are you not up on stage doing this kind of stuff?"

I shrugged. "It's just for fun."

"God, it must be nice to be able to play like that."

I laughed. "I guess. I'll teach you sometime." I paused. "Looked like you were enjoying my performance over there, lo-baby." _Nice save._

She was blushing furiously but just shrugged. "I told you I had a thing for guitar players in bands." She looked at me from behind her lashes. "Baby, you looked hot."

I felt my dick harden with her words. I leaned in so that my mouth was next to her ear. "Is it wrong that I wish Eli was with his dad right now?" I suddenly couldn't wait for this weekend.

She giggled. "Dinner's ready, if you two are hungry."

She got up off my lap, leaving me stranded for a moment while she and Eli walked back downstairs. Once I managed to control myself, I got up and put everything away before joining them downstairs. They were sitting at the table in the breakfast nook, putting their food on their plates and looking like they belonged nowhere else but here, with me.

It was official. I was completely off the market and in love with Isabella Swan.


	9. Chapter 9

**This has been done for over a week, but my internet company has been updating their equipment and every single time I tried to update with this chapter, the internet was down! So, hopefully, they'll get their shit straight and it won't happen again!**

**As always, thanks for the reviews!**

**This chapter's just a little bit of filler/meet the parents. B & E are going on a date next and I planned on taking their relationship up a notch ;)**

* * *

Chapter 9

**Bella**

"Bella, sweetheart. Relax." Edward pulled me out of the car and into his arms.

I could feel myself on the verge of shaking; I was so petrified. I looked up at the stunning three-story mansion and gulped. Literally gulped.

It was massive. Red brick with a white marble facade. It sat back off the road a little with a wrought iron fence, matching the ironwork on the porch and the windows. The gardens were blooming and fragrant--not a weed in sight--and the lush, green grass was meticulously cut.

What have I gotten myself into?

"Momma! Let's go! Edward promised we'd play with my cars when we got inside!" Eli groaned loudly.

"All right. Fine. I'm going."

"Baby, I honestly don't understand why you're so nervous. It's not like you've not already met them before." Edward looked at me in confusion as we walked towards the porch.

I exhaled loudly. "I know. But it wasn't as your girlfriend when I met them. And I think I said maybe five words to your parents the entire time that day." I watched Eli jump up onto the porch, bouncing happily.

He laughed at me. "Oh, please. They'll love you. I mean for God's sake, look at their kids. Their daughter ran them ragged as a child since she had so much energy, and married the first boy she kissed--when she was twenty, I'll remind you--their son's a cursing beast, and then there's me. The tattoo loving son that scared the bejeesus out of them when he volunteered to go to Iraq. This is a cake walk."

"Yeah, all right." I felt a little better.

Edward stole a glance at Eli who was playing with a sword on one of the black wicker chairs. He looked back at me and grinned wickedly, leaning down and kissing me passionately. Our tongues met, and I felt my hands snake into his hair, tugging gently. I felt him tense up and knew he wanted to moan, but kept quiet since Eli was right there.

The front door opened, and Edward and I quickly turned our heads so that our cheeks were still touching and looked at his mother, who was smiling widely at us.

"Hi, Mom," Edward said, sheepishly.

"It feels like you should be fifteen again, and I've interrupted your make out session with you high school girlfriend," she laughed.

"Not quite." Edward smiled at her and gave her a quick hug.

"Bella, it's nice to see you again." Esme patted my arm gently.

"It's nice to see you, too, Mrs. Cullen." My face was on fire.

She frowned at me and glanced at Eli, who wasn't paying any attention. "No, none of that. That's what I called my mother-in-law who was an evil bitch, hell bent on making my life with Carlisle difficult until the day she died. Call me Esme, please." My eyes widened and I nodded.

Edward laughed and shook his head at his mother. "Mamó was not an evil bitch."

"She was," Esme insisted. "You didn't see it because you were a child."

Edward rolled his eyes. "Hey, Eli? Want to go inside?"

"Yeah!" Eli jumped out of the chair with his bag in his hand and started to run past Edward. Edward grabbed the back of his shirt and pulled him back just before he made it through the threshold.

"What?" Eli giggled and looked up at Edward in confusion.

"I think there's someone who'd like to say hello to you, buddy." I looked at Esme, who was smiling at them.

"Hello, Eli. I'm Esme, Edward's mom. Do you remember seeing me at the lake a few weeks ago?" Esme bent down so that she was eye to eye with Eli.

You could almost hear the wheels turning as he thought about it. "Yeah. You were with some other people that Momma's friend knew, right?"

"That's right. You're very smart." She smiled warmly at him. "Would you like to come in and grab a cookie? Dinner won't be ready for another couple of hours."

Eli looked up at me. "Can I, Momma?"

"Sure." I smiled.

Eli followed Esme into the kitchen, while Edward led me out of the ridiculously gorgeous foyer and into the huge formal living room. The house was almost completely white, with just a few neutral tones in the furniture and with the pale wood floor. Wainscotting covered the walls and thick crown mouldings framed the rooms.

It was unbeliveably grand.

"Wow," I breathed. "How does she keep this place clean?"

Edward chuckled. "She has help." He sat us down and draped his arm across my shoulders, pulling me in to him. "Are you still nervous?"

"A little. I haven't seen your father yet."

He looked at me and smiled, moving his body so that he was facing me. "You have nothing to worry about. I promise." He ran his thumb across my lip.

I breathed out shakily. "I know, I've just never had to meet the parents before. This is all new for me."

"It shouldn't be that way for you. I hate that it's been that way for you." He looked over at the massive stone fireplace and frowned.

"There's nothing you can do about it. That's how my life has been."

He looked back and me and gave me a small smile. "Doesn't mean I don't wish I _could _do something about it."

He leaned over and gave me a quick kiss, just as Esme and Eli came back from the kitchen. Eli was carrying a chocolate chip cookie in his hand.

"Eli! You should eat that in the kitchen!" I could just see him getting chocolate everywhere and then trying to figure out how to pay for the damage.

"Nonsense. I told him he could come in here with us and eat it." She waved me off with a smile. "Your father should be here in a few minutes. He got held up at the hospital."

Edward nodded. "Are you going to Emmett's Saturday?"

"For the afternoon. We'll leave before it gets too wild." She winked at me. "Are you all planning on going?"

"Yeah. I'm bringing Bella, and Jacob is supposed to bring Eli." Edward's voice was tight. I knew he wasn't looking forward to seeing Jacob this weekend.

Esme looked over at Eli, who had just finished his cookie. "You'll have so much fun! There'll be lots of other kids there for you to play with and you can go down the slip n slide."

He looked at her, his brows knit. "What's a slip n slide?"

Her eyes widened, and she glanced over at me. "I didn't know what it was either." I shrugged.

"Well, Emmett--that's Edward's brother--he has this great big piece of black plastic that he stretches down a hill. He puts a couple of sprinklers on the plastic at the top of the hill so that the water can run down the slide. Rosalie--that's Emmett's girlfriend--she buys lots and lots of baby soap to make it super slippery. You can go down the hill like a water slide."

Eli's eyes were bright with excitement. "Awesome!"

"It is," she agreed. "Emmett and Rosalie's house is the only house around here with a yard big enough to do something like this."

"Sorry, I'm late." Carlisle came in the room, looking ashamed of himself. "It's nice to see you again, Bella."

"You, too." I said nervously.

"It's fine, Dad." Edward turned back to Eli. "Hey, Eli? This is my dad, Carlisle."

Carlisle bent down to Eli and examined the car he had in his hand. "It's very nice to meet you, Eli. What kind of car is that?"

"It's Lightning McQueen," he stated happily as he handed the car to Carlisle.

Carlisle examined it and held it up to Esme. "Look, Esme. It has eyes where the windshield is," he chuckled.

"Surely you've seen the movie _Cars_, Carlisle." Esme giggled at him.

"No, I can't say that I have." Carlisle looked at Eli. "I don't suppose you brought it with you, did you?"

"No." Eli shook his head. "But I can bring it next time!"

Carlisle grinned at him, his face morphing in to an expression Edward commonly wore when talking to Eli. "That would be wonderful!"

He stayed on the ground and grabbed a couple cars out of Eli's bag. "So, Bella? How are you liking Chicago?" He looked up at me.

"So far, it's great. I haven't really gotten to see much, but Edward promised to fix that for me." I looked at him sideways. "I am absolutely loving this weather."

Carlisle chuckled softly. "Edward said you were from somewhere around Seattle?" I nodded. "Then I would imagine you are loving the weather here. We have excellent summers. Just be prepared for the winters. They can be brutal."

Esme looked at Edward, scowling. "You mean to tell me you haven't taken your girlfriend out?"

"Uh..." Edward looked around the room nervously. "I took her to dinner and a movie."

She gasped. "Edward Anthony Cullen! I know I raised you better than that!"

I grabbed Edward's hand and interrupted. "It's actually my fault, Esme. Eli's dad has been working a lot so we haven't been able to go out, just the two of us, lately. He did take Eli and me to the lake to watch the fireworks and we took a trip to the zoo. He also promised to take us to Navy Pier in a couple of weeks."

"And I'm taking her out tomorrow night. So get off my back." Edward glanced over at Eli before continuing. "I feel shitty enough as it is, Mom," he said quietly.

"Good." Esme looked at me with a conspiritorial smile. "So what exactly is it that you do, Bella?"

"I'm a line cook at a restaurant downtown--just off Michigan. I'm actually applying for the sous chef position that just opened up." I was praying I got the job. It meant better hours and better pay.

"You didn't tell me that, baby." Edward narrowed his eyes playfully. "Oh, I see. I'm at the bottom of your list. Guess I need a new girlfriend." He sighed dramatically.

I smacked his chest lightly. "You shut up. I just decided to do it today."

"So you mention something to my mother instead of me?" he teased.

I rolled my eyes. "I'm ignoring you now."

"No, you're not," he growled at me, grabbing me in his arms and tickling me.

"Edward!"I giggled. "Please, baby, stop! I can't breathe!"

"Are you still ignoring me, love?"

"No," I panted. _Did he just call me love again?_

He stopped tickling me and gave me a small kiss before readjusting our bodies so that we were sitting comfortably against one another again. I looked up at him and saw his eyes were dark with emotion. I felt every cell in my body ignite in flames before I managed to look away. God, I wished he would just stop always being so in control and just screw my brains out already.

I looked at Esme, who was watching us with wide eyes, and felt my face flame up in embarrassment. I stole a glance at Carlisle, who was still playing with Eli.

"What are you looking at us like that for?" Edward asked Esme.

"No reason." She smiled warmly at me. "Bella, do you think you would want to help me with the rest of dinner? I'm sure you could find a few things to give me tips on."

"Um, sure. I'd love to." I was suddenly very nervous. I felt like I was walking into the gas chamber.

Esme got up off the couch and started towards the kitchen. I leaned into Edward and took a deep breath, feeling my head spin with his scent.

"Should I be scared?" I whispered drunkenly.

"No." He laughed. "Why? Are you?"

"I feel like she's going to pull out a gun and ask me what my intentions with you are. Typical Charlie Swan behavior, actually."

He snorted. "Get your ass in there. She's not going to do anything. Esme is very maternal. She's probably naming our future children as we speak."

Wha? Future children? I suddenly got giddy with the thought.

I pushed it away and pretended to be put out. "Fine," I huffed.

I started to get off the couch, but Edward pulled me down for one quick kiss before releasing me.

"Eli, I'm going to go help Esme in the kitchen. Make sure you let me or Edward know if you need something."

"Kay." He continued to play with Carlisle, ignoring me.

I walked out of the room and made my way to their massive kitchen, looking around in awe. Again, everything was white. From the marble floors to the granite counter tops. The only form of color in the room was the stainless of the appliances, the drapes that covered the tall windows in the nook, the distressing of the white cabinets, and the black of the swirling granite.

"You like it?" Esme asked as she got ready to peel potatoes.

"Love it. It's every chef's dream." I sighed dreamily. I shook the daydream of me cooking in this kitchen out of my head. "So, what can I help you with?"

"Nothing." She smiled at my confused expression. "I just wanted to chat. You know, have some girl talk."

"Oh, um, all right," I stammered.

"What brought you to Chicago?" She held the potato in her hand, but made no move to peel it.

I told her the reason I had moved to Chicago, watching her face for any signs that she thought I was an idiot for following Jacob here. I found none.

"Well, I must say on Edward's behalf that I'm very glad you came." She smiled at me. "Do you have any family back in Washington?"

"Just my father. I'm not all that close to him, though."

I was a little embarrassed about this. It wasn't that I didn't _want_ a good relationship with Charlie; I did. He just was always so distant. Moving to Chicago did absolutely nothing to change our relationship. We still were polite and friendly to one another and inquired to each other's lives, but there wasn't much of a father-daughter relationship there anymore. There hadn't been since Renee died.

"Oh, I see." Her brows knit. "Does your mother live elsewhere?"

"No. She's in Forks," I answered vaguely.

She looked at me in confusion, holding the peeler in one hand and a potato in the other. "But I thought you just said it was just your father?"

I blew out a breath. "My mom is buried in the Forks cemetery," I said softly. It usually didn't bother me, but for some reason today, it did.

She dropped everything and rushed over to me, crushing me against her body. "I'm so sorry, dear. I didn't know. Edward never said anything."

"It's okay," I mumbled.

We stood like that as I battled the tears that formed in my eyes. She finally broke away and looked into my face, making sure I was all right. Seemingly pleased with what she saw, she walked back over and began peeling the potato she was holding earlier.

"How long have you and Edward been dating exactly?" She kept her head bent down, focusing on the potato in her hand as she changed the subject.

"Um, about a month." I swallowed convulsively.

"Really?" She seemed surprised. "Edward doesn't tell me much--obviously. He only told me that he was dating you and reminded me that I'd met you and Eli at the lake once before." She moved on to the next potato. "I take it this started right after the lake?"

"Yeah. We ran into each other the next night and have pretty much been together ever since."

She smiled warmly at me. "I'm assuming you two are exclusive, given Edward's high opinion of your son?"

I nodded. "We decided that on his birthday, actually."

She rinsed the potatoes off and quickly cut them up over a pan. I guessed we were having mashed potatoes with whatever else she was making.

"And how long have you been in love with him?" She was putting the pan on to boil.

I felt my eyes widen, and I practically choked. "I'm sorry, what?" I sputtered.

"You love him."

She said nothing else, only stood there, leaning on the counter and waiting for my response.

For some reason, I couldn't lie. "Yes."

She beamed at me. "Good. Now, would you mind getting me the salt out of the cabinet behind you?"

* * *

**Edward**

I crouched down on the floor next to Eli and grabbed a couple of cars from the bag so that I could join Carlisle in playing with him. I tried to keep my mouth turned in an innocent smile, but couldn't keep myself from stealing glances towards the kitchen. I trusted that my mother wouldn't interrogate Bella, but I didn't trust that she would keep embarrassing stories from my childhood a secret. I stared at the floor, wondering if Esme had managed to sneak one of her massive photo albums into the kitchen without my knowledge.

"Edward, what do you keep looking over for?" Carlisle asked, smiling widely. He was getting a kick out of my behavior.

"Nothing. Just wondering if Mom's embarrassing me or not."

"Since when are you worried about what people think of you?" Eli took the car from Carlisle's hand and handed him another one.

"I still don't care what other people think of me. But Bella's not just _people_," I muttered.

Carlisle sat up straight and gave me an intense look. "You love her." It wasn't a question.

"Am I that transparent?" If my own father could pick it out in a matter of seconds, I was doomed when it came to waiting until the right time to tell Bella.

He chuckled. "Yes, you are." He glanced over at Eli, who was still looking at his cars, but had stopped playing. "I think it's great. And it's about time."

I'd been in relationships before. During high school, I dated Kate--Tanya's sister--briefly, before I began messing around with Tanya. During my time at Annapolis, I dated Jane, who was now the bane of my existence. To say that relationship ended badly would be an understatement. It was a total fucking nightmare. Jane ended up being a complete and utter psycho; I'm pretty sure the restraining order I have against her in Maryland still stands. When I was training to be a doctor, I dated Lauren. My devotion to my studies never allowed us to spend a lot of time together, which is why I wasn't surprised to find her straddling my roommate one night when I came back early from the library.

Regardless of how the relationship ended or how long it lasted, I liked every one of them enough to make an effort--to put everything I had into the relationship. I practically ignored any other girl I came in contact with while I was dating these women. I thought I'd loved the ones before, but after meeting Bella, it was clear to me why I never said those three little words that meant so much; because I never really knew what love actually felt like. The love I felt for Bella and Eli were indescribable--and completely terrifying.

I raked my hands through my hair nervously. "Thanks."

Eli had completely stopped playing and was looking back and forth between Carlisle and myself, looking completely confused. "You love Momma?"

I looked over to the kitchen to make sure Bella wasn't coming back before I answered. Instead of speaking, I nodded nervously.

"So does Daddy." He still had a frown on his face.

My eyes widened. "He does?" I wanted to ask so many questions, but thought it wouldn't be fair to drag Eli into the situation.

"Uh-huh. She's his best friend." His brows drew even further down. "Are you going to be Momma's best friend, too? I thought you were her boyfriend?"

Ah. So Jacob hadn't been telling Eli he loves Bella.

"I am her boyfriend." I glanced towards the kitchen again in paranoia. "And I love your mom."

His face lit up with comprehension. "Wait! You love Momma like in those eewy, gooey movies on TV sometimes!"

I chuckled. "Yeah." I looked at him seriously. "But you have to keep it a secret."

"Why?" he pouted.

"Because! I haven't even told her yet!" I stood up, reached over, and grabbed his feet--yanking him off the ground upside down--before I gently shook him around. "Promise you won't say anything?"

He giggled. "No."

I lifted him up higher, still shaking him. "No?"

He was laughing loudly now. "Okay! Okay! I gotta pee!"

I couldn't help but laugh at his five-year-old response as I sat him down. "Bathroom's over there," I said as I pointed in the direction that he needed to go.

He hopped up and took off, nearly slamming into Bella as he did. "Dinner's ready," she said, smiling.

"I gotta go potty first, Momma." Eli took off down the hall before she could answer him.

Carlisle smiled at Bella. "Tell Esme we'll be there in a moment. I'm going to help Edward pick up our mess."

She nodded and walked off as Carlisle and I began putting the cars back into Eli's bag.

"It's not just Bella you love, is it?"

I felt the corner of my lip pull up. "No, it's not." I could see myself loving Eli like my own--soon.

"Well then, I guess Esme and I will need to get adjusted to the thought of being grandparents."

I stared up at him in shock, unable to say anything back.

He looked at me and answered my silent question. "Like we couldn't love anything you do. You are such an excellent judge in character, son. I'm sure we'll end up loving them like our own before long." I saw the smile play at his mouth. "And you know your mother. Any excuse to redecorate."

* * *

After dinner, we all piled on the couch and watched Toy Story with Eli. He bounced from one of us to the next, talking happily and playing while Buzz and Woody argued in the background. Before long, he was sprawled out across mine and Bella's laps, fast asleep.

When the movie was finally over, I went to carefully pull him into my arms and carry him out to my car without waking him. As soon as I stood up, he stirred.

"Shh," Bella murmured, running her fingers through his hair. "We're going to go home now. You can go back to sleep in the car."

His eyes snapped open, and he wiggled out of my arms. "I wanna say goodbye to Grandma Esme and Grandpa Carlisle!"

Bella and I exchanged a surprised, but emotional look as Eli raced over to where Esme was standing. Esme crouched down and pulled him into her arms, squeezing tightly as she placed a quick kiss on his head.

"Thank you for coming over Eli. I had a great time." She pulled away and looked into his smiling face. "You have to come back real soon. And if your mom, dad, and Edward say it's okay, maybe one day you can spend the night before school starts back up."

Eli's face shined in excitement. "Can I Momma? Edward? Please, please, please?"

Bella and I laughed and nodded our heads. "But we have to check with your dad. Okay?" Bella was putting on a bright face for Eli, but I could hear the sadness in her voice and knew she was worried Jacob would say no.

Eli went over and gave Carlisle a hug before we all finally made it out the door. I backed out of the driveway and grabbed Bella's hand, giving her a crooked grin as I did. I wanted to talk to her, but one quick glance at Eli's bobbing head in the rear view mirror, and I decided it could wait so that he could fall back to sleep.

We got back to her townhouse, and I carried Eli up the stairs and gently put him on the bed. I came back downstairs, all smiles, only to see Bella sitting on the couch in tears.

I rushed over to her and knelt down on the floor next to her. "What's wrong?" My mind raced with the possibilities of what could have upset her while I was upstairs. Maybe Jacob left a message on her phone.

"Nothing's wrong," she sobbed and wiped her face. "God, I feel so stupid." She hiccupped. "I just never expected Eli to call your parents what he calls my father. And your mom. Your mom is wonderful." A small sob escaped her throat. "I miss mine."

"Oh, Bella," I whispered as I cupped her face in my hands. "Shit, I'm so sorry. I never once thought about how meeting my mother would make you feel. My mom tends to make everyone feel like her son or daughter. I should have realized it would make you think about your own mother." She gave me a small smile as she sniffled. "And as for Eli, I never in a million years expected him to do something like that."

She looked up at me with wide eyes. "You don't think it freaked them out, do you?"

I couldn't help but laugh. "Of course not." I moved to the couch and pulled her into my arms. "My parents loved the two of you. I mean, who wouldn't? You two are wonderful. God, Bella. I-" I cut myself off. Every cell in my body ached to tell this woman how I felt about her, but I was too chicken shit to say it.

Instead I said, "I think someone would be absolutely nuts not to want you two in their lives."

She looked at me curiously before nodding. We sat on the couch in silence for a while, just listening to each other breathe. I wanted so desperately to lay her down and finally make love to her. I don't think I'd ever gone this long without sex when I was in the states. I fought the desire with everything I had--knowing that if it was going to happen, it would be in one of our beds, without Eli just a few feet away.

I leaned down and kissed her deeply, loving the way her tongue sent, electricity humming through me as I raked my hands up and down her body. She sighed as I pulled away and I couldn't help the smug smile that came across my face. She wanted it as badly as I did.

_Tomorrow_, I promised myself. I could last just one more day and make it perfect for her.

"I should go. When can I pick you up tomorrow?"

"Jacob's going to be here at six to get Eli." She bit her lip nervously.

"What is it?" I knew she didn't want to say what was on her mind.

"Can you get here before he does? I just.. I don't want to be alone with him. Not after yesterday."

"Of course. I'll protect you from the big, bad wolf," I said, grinning.

"Haha." She rolled her eyes, but was smiling at my stupid joke.

I pulled her off the couch and walked us to the door. "I'll be here at five. Sound good?"

"Yeah." She looked up at me and smirked. "What are we doing exactly, anyways?"

"Nope. Not a clue." She frowned. "I know you don't really like surprises, but tough shit. I promised to take you out to see the city, and I'm not going to spoil any part of it by telling you where we're going. I know you; you'll Google it."

She huffed out a breath. "Fine." Her face suddenly changed and she looked into my eyes, grinning from ear to ear. "Who says I won't just Google it anyway? I mean, I'm sure if I search for 'things to do in Chicago', I can get a whole list of things to pull up. What we're doing tomorrow is bound to be on that list somewhere, Cullen."

"Don't make me take your computer with me, Bella," I growled.

Our eyes held for a while--mine daring her to try it, hers trying to see if I'd actually take the computer. Finally she gave up.

"Fine. But you owe me." She narrowed her eyes at me.

"Oh, I'll make sure it's worth your while," I said cockily.

She blushed, but was unable to reply since my tongue was back in her mouth. After a few minutes of this I finally decided that I needed to go home and take a long, cold shower if I was planning on getting any sleep tonight.

"I'll see you tomorrow." If only I hadn't been so afraid earlier, I could be telling her I loved her before I left.

_Tomorrow,_ I promised myself again.

"Okay. I'll miss you," she said shyly.

"I'll miss you more." I quickly kissed her before she could argue any further. "Bye, baby." I said as I turned and walked away.

I got in my car and pulled out of the parking lot, berating myself the entire way home. I was such a fucking moron tonight. She needed to hear how much she meant to me--to know that my family would love her because I did and instead, I froze. I couldn't get the words off my tongue, which pissed me off more than I realized.

"Fuck!" I shouted, banging my hands against the steering wheel.

Since when had I become such a coward?


	10. Chapter 10

**Thanks for the reviews, I love them, as always!**

**Date time...Jacob takes a step to the side in this chappie, but he'll be back next chapter...**

**LEMON at the bottom for all you pervs like me out there **

* * *

Chapter 10

**Bella**

I paced around the house nervously, waiting for Edward to arrive. It was five-thirty.

He called to say he got stuck in surgery and was on his way home to change before coming by my place. I couldn't help but pray that he got here before Jacob did. I heard my cell phone vibrate on the desk, and I reached over to answer it, frowning as I read the caller ID.

"Hey, Jacob." Not the person I was hoping to hear from.

"Hey. I'm leaving the house now. I hope you don't mind me being a little early."

_Yes, I do._ "No, it's fine. Eli's ready to go."

"Great. I'll see you in a few."

"Yep." I hung up and cursed silently to myself.

I went upstairs to Eli's room and helped him clean up his mess while I waited on Jacob. As soon as I put the last car in the bin, I heard a knock at the door.

I rushed downstairs and reluctantly pulled open the door.

"Hey, Bells!" Apparently Jacob was excited to see me. "Wow, you look great! Where are you going all dressed up?"

I nervously smoothed out the sapphire blue sun dress I had on. "Edward's taking me out."

He frowned. "Where to?"

"I don't know; it's a surprise."

He laughed darkly. "Well, this relationship is going to last long. You hate surprises."

I scowled. "He knows that."

"Yes, I do." I heard Edward's beautiful voice approaching behind Jacob.

I couldn't stop the smile on my face as I took him in. He looked fantastic. He was wearing black dress pants, a white button down shirt rolled up to his elbows, and a loose black tie. He held a bouquet of red roses against his chest.

"Hi!" I pushed past Jacob and jumped into his arms. "How was work?" He just managed to move the flowers out of the way before I crushed them.

"The girl I was working on will be fine, so it was excellent." He gave me a beaming smile before nuzzling my neck. I heard him groan softly before he pulled away. "Fuck. You smell incredible." He stepped back and spun me around. "And you look incredible, too."

He held out the flowers to me. "I brought you these. I know they're cliché, but I thought they were pretty. They look like the color of the lip gloss Alice had on you the first night we danced."

I blushed. "Thanks. You look really nice, too." My voice was quiet as I took the flowers from him and inhaled their wonderful scent.

Edward leaned down and brushed his lips against mine before glancing back at Jacob. "Hello, Jacob. It's nice to see you again."

I looked back to see him scowling. "Yeah. You, too," he muttered.

I took Edward's hand and went back inside, calling for Eli from the bottom of the steps. Eli came bouncing out of his room and looked at his father excitedly, before turning to see Edward. His face lit up and he rushed down the stairs.

"Edward! I'm going to Daddy's this weekend!" He ran over and hugged Edward's legs.

I discreetly looked at Jacob and saw his lip actually curl back away from his teeth when Eli hugged Edward. I felt the rage bubble up in my chest, and I bit down on my tongue to keep silent. A million thoughts and things I wanted to say ran through my mind that instant as I struggled to keep my inner turmoil a secret. Once the initial anger subsided, I realized I was actually hurt from Jacob's reaction. I had always thought he wanted me to be happy.

"That's what I hear!" Edward ruffled his hair. "I hope you have a good time tonight, and I'll see you tomorrow, right?"

"Yeah!" He looked at Jacob. "We're still going, right, Daddy?"

Jacob quickly changed his expression into a smile. "Of course!"

"That reminds me, here are the directions to my brother's house." Edward pulled out a piece of paper out of his pocket and handed it to Jacob.

"Oh, thanks." He reluctantly took the paper from Edward. "Come on, Eli. Let's get you something to eat."

"Okay." Eli gave Edward another squeeze and motioned for him to bend down, whispering something in his ear.

Edward laughed and nodded. "Tonight, I promise, little man. You don't have to keep it a secret any longer."

Eli looked at me and grinned. "What? What is going on you two?"

"Nothing, Momma. Edward's going to tell you later." He walked by me, acting smug, and I couldn't help but wonder where my little boy had gone.

"Hey! Don't I get a hug!" I put my free hand on my hip and pretended to be mad.

Eli raced back and gave me a hug. "Love you, Momma."

"Aw, I love you, baby. Have fun."

"Kay."

Jacob looked back at me with a torn expression on his face. "Bye, Jacob," I said smiling. No need to make it any harder than it had to be. I was an adult, I could behave like one.

"See ya tomorrow, Bells." He grabbed Eli's bag and shut the door behind them.

"Well, that went pretty well." I looked at Edward in shock.

"You didn't see his face when Eli hugged you?"

He looked surprised. "No?"

"His lip actually curled away from his teeth like he was some kind of animal!"

He chuckled. "He doesn't have to like me, Bella." I looked at him in confusion. "I could care less if he likes me or not. He means absolutely nothing to me."

"Really?" My voice was small.

"Yeah. You and Eli are all that matter." His eyes seemed to pierce through me. 

_I love you!_ I screamed in my head, but I was too scared to say the words first.

"Now, if you're ready, we should probably get going.

I smiled. "Okay. Let me just grab my shoes and put these in a vase and we can go."

* * *

We were in the car for just over a half an hour. I had no idea where he was taking me. We laughed and talked the entire way. He seemed to know I was in need of cheering up after the few minutes I spent with Jacob.

We turned off the highway and into the entrance to the Indiana Dunes National Park. I watched out the window in silence as Edward drove into a parking lot and parked his Volvo.

I waited patiently while Edward came over and opened the door for me, knowing that if I did it myself, I'd get an earful.

"We're not in Illinois anymore," I pointed out.

"No. I've always found that I could come here late in the day and no one would bother me. It's a good place to think."

I looked around and noticed there was only two other cars in the parking lot. He was right.

He grabbed a big bag and a small cooler out of the trunk before taking my hand and leading me to the lake. When we finally reached our destination, he set down the bag and the cooler and grabbed a blanket out of the bag.

I watched in awe as he set up a picnic for us.

"You planned a picnic?" I looked at the spread in front of me. He seemed to have thought of everything.

"Yeah." He ran his hand through his hair as he sat down . "I didn't want to do the typical dinner date, so I thought I'd bring you here. And I wanted to make sure you were fed, so I had Esme pick some things up for me to bring. I have no idea what all she bought."

There was wine, cheese, fruit, a Greek salad, pasta salad, chicken, little sandwiches, and even caviar.

I looked up at him, grabbing the caviar. "Seriously?" It seemed so pretentious and very un-Edward-like.

"I don't eat it. Do you?"

I laughed quietly. "No. Can't stand it."

"Well then, I guess this can go back." He put the tub back in the cooler.

I looked at him and felt my entire face radiating the love I felt for him at that moment. "Thank you. This is wonderful."

His eyes shined brightly with emotion as his own face broke out into a wide smile. "I did good?"

"Great." He leaned over and kissed me softly.

We ate while we talked about our days at work, and I described one of the funny things Eli had done this afternoon, making Edward practically choke on his food. Once we were finished, Edward cleaned everything up and pulled me into his arms.

We watched the sunset in silence for a while, feeling the constant electricity that flowed through our bodies whenever we were close to one another. My whole body relaxed as I listened to the waves crash on the shore and let my mind wander away from Jacob, Eli, and life in general. Before I knew it, I was dozing off.

Edward broke the silence. "Bella?"

"Hmm?" I slowly opened my eyes and turned my body so that I was facing him.

"Are you really all right with the whole Jacob thing?"

I sighed. "No." He looked down at me quizzically. "I always thought he'd be happy for me when I found someone. He's dated three people since Eli was born, and I've always been supportive in whatever he did. He was always smart in the way he introduced them to Eli and no matter what, always put the two of us first. I never had any reason to complain, even if I'd wanted to." I looked into his emerald eyes and felt my heart break for the friendship it seemed I was losing.

"It just makes me sad to think that he's not even willing to give you a chance, and I think it's kind of hypocritical." I paused. "And I know that if it came down to choosing one of you, I would pick you over Jacob any day. He may be my best friend, but-" I stopped myself. I was close to telling him exactly how I felt about him.

He pulled in a deep breath before speaking. "Bella. Do you want to know my little secret with Eli?"

I searched his face for any clue. He seemed extremely nervous. "What is it?"

I was suddenly aware of our hearts pounding furiously in our chests. He looked down at my hand in his and fidgeted for a moment before speaking. "I am without a doubt, completely in love with you." I felt my eyes widen and fill with tears. "You and Eli mean so much more to me than I ever thought possible. I have never in my life felt for anyone the way I feel for you." He looked back at my face anxiously, but didn't meet my eyes.

The tears in my eyes spilled down, and I felt like I would explode with joy. He loved me. He loved me just as I loved him. My eyes finally met his, and my entire body melted into him. The love that I felt from him was like anything I'd ever known. It was thrilling, terrifying, soothing, and peaceful--different ends of the emotional spectrum, contradicting each other; it was amazing.

I knew I was smiling back at him like a complete moron, but I couldn't seem to make myself care. "I love you, too." I felt a jolt of emotion rush through my body as I finally said the words aloud.

He cupped the back of my neck and pulled me to him, kissing me like it was the last thing he would ever do. The heat raced through my body, sending sparks through my limbs and fire burning low in my stomach. I wanted him desperately, and I found myself wishing we were in his bed so that he could finally make me his in every way possible.

He slowly rolled me over so that I was on my back and hovered over me, never moving his lips from mine. We stayed like that for what felt like hours, drinking in each other's taste, scent, and touch.

When we finally separated, the sun had dropped below the horizon and the sky was now a dusky purple, peppered with stars.

"We should go back," he whispered roughly. "There's still more that I had planned for us."

I frowned. All I wanted was to get naked and hop in the bed with him. I felt like some sort of hormonally imbalanced teenager.

I quickly cleared my throat before speaking. "Okay."

* * *

**Edward**

She loved me. She fucking loved me. I couldn't keep the smile off my face as I drove us back to Chicago, holding her hand the entire way. The relief I felt was insurmountable, and now that the worry and stress I'd put myself under the last few days was gone, I felt like my whole body was vibrating with joy. I could do a happy dance in the middle of Wrigley Field and not give a flying fuck what anyone else thought.

I glanced over at her and saw her beautiful skin illuminated by the dash lights and realized that we could only be in our own happy little bubble for a short time. Sooner than I'd like, Jacob was bound to burst it. I felt my face drop into a scowl with the thought. I wanted her to be able to have both of us in our lives, to not have to make a choice. It wasn't fair to force her to choose between the two of us, and I made a promise to myself to try to make things with Jacob as easy on Bella as humanly possible.

We got back into the city, and I took her to the Signature Lounge so that she could enjoy the view of the city while we had a few drinks. It was pretty pricey, but it beat the lines at Willis Tower.

After the first couple of drinks, I realized my plan was flawed. The alcohol loosened her up, making her speak more freely and happily. She occasionally ran her hand down my thigh or over the tattoo on my arm as we spoke, and it was all I could do to keep myself from throwing her over the chair and fucking her in front of everyone here. After her third drink, I knew I had to sober her up and get her out of here if I ever wanted a shot of being with her tonight.

At one point, she got up and swayed--actually fucking swayed--her hips as she went to the bathroom, and I heard myself let out an involuntary groan. I looked around and noticed that many of the guys there were watching her, and I felt the possessiveness I'd felt on my birthday return, flowing through my blood and making my vision turn red.

I pinched the bridge of my nose, trying to calm down, when I felt a light tap on my shoulder. I looked over and saw Alice standing there with Jasper.

"Hey guys." My voice was tight. I hadn't calmed down much.

"Hey, Edward! Where's Bella?" Alice's high voice seemed to vibrate off the glass, making me cringe.

"Bathroom," I said simply.

"Oh." She looked around for a minute. "I haven't gotten to talk to her in a while, do you care if we sit down with you for a while?"

I was surprised she was actually asking. It was typical Alice behavior to just tell you what you were going to do and wait for you to follow her commands. And to be honest, I could use a bit of a distraction from my thoughts of Bella.

"Sure." I looked up to see Bella coming over, smiling at me. I gave her a wide smile in return.

Jasper nudged me. "Looks like someone manned up."

"Fuck off." I glanced at him sideways and grinned. "But yes, I did."

"Sweet. How's the whole Jacob debacle?"

I looked over at Bella and Alice, noting they were too involved in their conversation to hear me. "Same. Nothing's really changed. I still think he's a dick."

"What are you going to do about it, man?"

I looked into Jasper's concerned face. "Not a fucking thing." He looked stunned. "Look, Bella mentioned something about choosing me over Jacob any day, and I'm going to try everything in my power to make sure that doesn't have to happen. She should be able to have both of us in her life. And as of right now, Jacob's not said anything else. And if he does, well, I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. Besides, I can be the adult and play nice if I have to."

"You're better than me, dude." He shook his head.

"What do you mean?"

"I think I probably would have kicked his ass if he talked to Alice that way."

I chuckled bleakly. "Oh, believe me. It would be nice to knock some sense into the asstard, but like I said, I'm not doing anything to make this any harder on Bella. And besides, what kind of shit boyfriend would I be if I let my anger get the best of me in front of Eli?"

"You've got a point. So any big plans for this evening?" He waggled his eyebrows at me.

"Now I'm really going to tell you to fuck off. It's none of your business."

He laughed. "So you do!"

I groaned and ran my hand through my hair. "No plans, per say. Just hopes."

"Well, better make the hopes into plans before your johnson mutinies." I cracked up. I couldn't help it.

He laughed with me. "I mean, fuck, dude. How long's it been anyway?"

I took a deep breath, trying to control my laughter. "Oh, God. I don't have a clue. Over two months, maybe?"

His eyes bugged out. "Damn, Cullen. You must be in love." I rolled my eyes. "Your hand hurt?" He examined my arms. "You know, your right arm's starting to look a little bigger than your left."

I laughed again without thinking. "A little." I sobered up and looked over at him indignantly. "You know, I went a lot longer than this when I was overseas."

"Yeah, but you had no choice. And you can't fucking act like you're the Pope. I've known you for seven years. You use your equipment. Regularly."

I glared at him. "You make it sound like I'm a fucking slut or something."

He held up his hands and smiled calmly. "You're not. At all. You can still count all the people you've slept with on your hands, no toes necessary. Some people can't."

"Damn right I can."

We stayed and talked with Alice and Jasper for another couple of hours, all while I insisted Bella drink water with me. She had already had wine at the beach and another three drinks here. I didn't want her to be drunk by the time I got her home. There was no way I was taking advantage of my drunk girlfriend--it was just not my style.

We walked down Michigan Avenue for a while until we got to the Water Tower before turning back, making sure I was completely sober before driving.

We got in the car, and I pulled out of the parking garage before speaking. "My place or yours?" I didn't care where we went, I just wanted to stay with her.

"Yours." She looked at me, blushing.

"What are you thinking?" I reached over and ran my thumb across her knuckles.

"Nothing." I raised my eyebrows. "Well, I was just thinking the last time we got to stay the night together it was at my place. I guess I was just...remembering." She bit her lip, and I could have sworn her face got even redder.

I grinned crookedly at her when I stopped for a light. "It was definitely worth remembering." She looked down so I continued. "I loved having you in my arms."

I realized that if she slept with me tonight, my bed would smell like her tomorrow. The thought made my lips pull up while my dick simultaneously hardened. I was going to have to do something about that before I attacked her and scared her off.

We pulled into the garage of my house, and I quietly led her into the bedroom. It was already one in the morning, so I found an old high school t-shirt of mine and gave her the extra toothbrush I had in the drawer before stripping down to my boxers and brushing my own teeth.

I stood in the hall bathroom, raking my hands through my hair as I took deep, calming breaths. There were no candles, no roses, no champagne, no strawberries--none of the typical romantic stuff I was pretty sure girls liked. I groaned. I was going to have to stop over-thinking this and just go to bed. I wanted everything to be perfect, but it quickly dawned on me that perfect was where Bella was--no matter what we were doing.

I walked into the bedroom and saw Bella standing next to my bed, with her back turned toward me. I looked at the shirt and saw Cullen stamped on the back of it. I had to grit my teeth to keep myself from jumping her. Seeing her marked with my name made any and every logical thought disappear, replaced with pure caveman-like, take-her-now thoughts.

She turned around and gave me a nervous smile and held up what looked to be her pills. "I need some water. I forgot to take one earlier."

Definitely her pills. Well, thank Christ that was one less thing I had to worry about. I was pretty certain my head would explode with worry soon if I wasn't careful.

"Sure," I smiled. "I'll go get you some."

* * *

**Bella**

Once Edward came back with a glass of water, I took my pill and put the glass on the nightstand. I turned to get in the bed, only to feel Edward's hand gently grab my wrist. I turned to face him, opening my mouth to speak and felt his lips crash down on me urgently. His lips were needy, moving avidly with mine, causing a wave of heat to flash through my body.

He pulled back and laid his forehead on mine while we both gasped for air. "God, I want you right now, Bella. Seeing my name stamped on your back is such a fucking turn on."

His fingers ran up my thigh and felt the lace of the blue boy shorts I had on, groaning. "Fuck me," he muttered.

I heard a small squeak come out of my throat with his words. My face flamed red in embarrassment, and I cleared my throat. "I want you, too, Edward." My voice was thick and low and took me by surprise.

I saw his eyes flash with desire before darkening so deeply, they looked almost black. "You have no idea how you effect my body." He pushed his hardness into my stomach before stepping back. I was pretty sure I did. It was the same effect he had on me. "Every little thing you do makes me want you. You have the most incredible body, the smoothest, creamiest skin. The way your hair falls in your face and the depths of your eyes drives me crazy. But what makes me feel like I could lose all control around you is when your cheeks fill with that beautiful, scarlet-colored blush when you're embarrassed about something." He ran his fingers up my jaw, making it tingle.

I heard him moan. "Just touching you makes my body hum. You are it for me, a ghrá." _What was that? _It seemed like all the control he had just been talking about had miraculously disappeared.

I swallowed audibly and tried to regulate my breathing. My body was on fire, feeling as though it would burst into flames at any moment. His hand cupped my face while I tried to control my reaction, and I leaned into it.

He pulled me back to him, licking up my jaw where his hand once rested. I could feel his smile against my face. "I love the way you taste--so sweet."

I was pretty sure I let out some sort of sound, which only made him move me even closer to him, crushing me against his chest. His hands roamed my body, just as they always did, but this time there was the promise of more. That promise made my head spin and my heart flutter in my chest. The reaction I was having with just the _thought_ of finally being with Edward was so strong, I couldn't imagine what the actual _act_ would feel like.

I felt his hands brush the sides of my breasts as they made their descent to my waist. He ran his hands under the hem of the t-shirt I was wearing and cupped my ass, grinding his erection into me while he continued to lick and nip at my neck. I realized my hands were hanging limp at my sides, and I reached up to his shoulders, pulling him closer to me.

He picked me up and sat me on the bed, moving himself in between my legs as he took my mouth in his again. He sucked my tongue in his mouth, and I thought sparks would literally shoot out of my feet. I could feel every inch of him press against my panties; they were probably ruined by now, but I couldn't seem to care.

I moved my hands all over his chest, moving them around his nipples and playing with the waistband of his boxers like I knew he liked, running my fingers along his tattoo. His hips bucked into me, and I heard his soft groan as I did.

With one quick movement, he had the t-shirt off my body and dropped it on the floor. He came back down to me, grabbing my breast in his hand while he assaulted my mouth again. He flicked my nipple and pushed his hips into mine, making me moan loudly. I rubbed myself against him, trying to relieve the enormous pressure that was building in my body when I felt his fingers move my panties out of the way and push inside me.

"Ugh." He made the sound while I gasped. "You're wet already."

I couldn't stand it anymore. I grabbed his boxers and pushed them down his legs.

"Edward," I groaned. "Enough foreplay. I've had nothing but foreplay for the last month." I was startled at the words that came out of my mouth.

His eyes met mine and within seconds I felt my panties being ripped from my body. He moved himself over me and pushed the tip in. I closed my eyes and felt my body turn to mush.

"Look at me." I opened my eyes and stared into his liquid green ones. "I love you."

He pushed himself slowly into me, never breaking eye contact. I couldn't even speak; the sensations that pulsed through my body were too strong for me to make any kind of sense as I felt myself expand and stretch with his length. It had been so long, I couldn't help but gasp once he was all the way in. Who knew it could feel this good?

"Are you all right?" He looked down at me in concern.

"Great." _Wonderful, fabulous, perfect._

I pushed my hips up, pulling him even further into me, before I felt him pull back and then push back in again. Our hips met each and every single time, matching speed and intensity.

I could feel myself getting closer and closer, and I grasped at the sheets while I continued to stare into his eyes. He moved his hands to mine and interlaced our fingers, squeezing tightly.

Before I knew what was happening, my vision blurred, and I felt the waves of my orgasm pulse through me. I shuddered and moaned underneath him as he continued to thrust into me, never stopping.

He took one hand away from mine and brought it in between our bodies to my clit, flicking it in time with his thrusts. I could feel my muscles tightening up around him again, and I heard myself call his name as I came crashing down again.

He let out a low moan, followed by my name--and what was that? _A ghrá?--_ when he came. I felt his body relax as he put his head in the crook of my neck, nuzzling and kissing me gently.

Our breathing was ragged, and I could feel Edward's pulse match mine as I ran my hands up and down his strong back.

After we calmed down, he pulled out of me and shifted our bodies so that we were lying under the covers, facing each other.

I ran my thumb across his cheekbone and smiled. "I love you," I whispered.

He gave me a sleepy smile and reached over to turn off the light. He then pulled me back into his arms, and I rested my head against his chest.

"What was that you said earlier?" I asked hesitantly.

"What was what?" He placed a quick kiss in my hair.

"A g-" I cut myself off. I wasn't exactly sure what he said.

I felt him shift a little under me. "A ghrá?

"Yeah. A ghrá." It sounded like a ghraw.

"I called you that?"

My brows knit. "Um, yeah?"

He chuckled. "Hmm. Very interesting."

"What?" I practically shouted it.

He took a deep breath. "It's Irish Gaelic for 'my love'. My grandfather used to call my grandmother that before he died. I haven't heard it since I was probably fifteen."

I sat up a little. "Seriously?"

"Yes, seriously." I saw his smile in the faint light from the clock. "I told you about the Irish cross tattoo representing my heritage, right?"

I nodded and then realized he probably couldn't see it. "Um-hm."

"Well, my grandparents--my father's mother and father--immigrated here from Ireland just after they were married. My mother took us all over there once a week so that she could run errands without the three of us bugging the shit out of her. I was always fascinated by the lilt in their speech and the secretive words they spoke to each other. Finally, my curiosity got the best of me, and I asked my grandfather what it was that he was saying when he spoke like that. He taught me a few words and phrases in Gaelic, that being one of them." He ran his hand through his hair. "I've never actually said any of it before now."

"So... Does this mean you're going to start yelling at me in Gaelic when you're angry with me so that I don't understand what you're saying?"

He laughed. "No, of course not." He pulled me back down on his chest. "I would never be angry with you." I could hear the smile in his voice and knew he was teasing.

"Sure. You say that now."

He chuckled. "Goodnight, _a ghrá_." He emphasized the phrase as he squeezed me against his body.

I hummed. It was much better than baby any day. "Goodnight."


	11. Chapter 11

**Lemon, lemon, lemon everywhere...not really, just at the beginning. In EPOV ;)**

**Also, Jacob's back...cue the dramatic music!**

**And as always, thanks for the reviews!!!**

* * *

Chapter 11

**Edward**

I woke up feeling something warm wrapped around my body. I opened my eyes to see Bella's arm thrown across my chest and one of her legs wrapped around my waist. Sometime during the night, after I woke up and fucked her for the third time, we had kicked the covers down to our feet.

I looked down at her beautiful, naked body and felt myself getting hard. Or should I say, my morning wood got even harder. Now that I had finally given in to the urge to take her, I wasn't sure how I was going to be able to regain my control. I smiled to myself at the thought. I definitely wouldn't be opposed to spending the rest of my life in bed with this woman.

I slowly untangled myself from her and made my way down the bed, spreading her legs open, before I began trailing open mouthed kisses up the inside of her leg. I hadn't done this yet, given the fact that Bella was so stupidly self-conscious of herself. I mean, how could someone so beautiful have absolutely no idea that everyone around them actually stops what they are doing so they can look at her as she walks into the room? It was mind-boggling to me.

Regardless, I had to taste it. I had tasted every other inch of her body and it was sweet. So sweet, I couldn't help but wonder what kind of heaven was nestled in between her perfect legs.

I could hear her gasp as she woke up and realized what I was getting ready to do. I lightly grazed my fingertips up her legs, making my way to the promised land, as I sat up and looked into her deep, chocolate eyes.

I ran my fingers down her teasingly. "Are you sore?" She shook her head, and I smiled wickedly. "Good, because I plan to taste you this morning."

Her eyes widened, and I saw the blood rush to her cheeks. "Don't be so surprised. It was only a matter of time."

I ducked down and ran my tongue over her slit before she could say anything back. I was right. She tasted fucking wonderful. Like some sort of decadent desert that no one could ever be able to recreate.

I swirled my tongue across her clit and felt her hips buck up slightly, causing me to groan. "You taste better than I could have ever thought possible."

I felt her writhe and moan underneath me as I spoke, so I hummed, my voice vibrating against her clit as I slipped a finger inside her.

"You like that?" It sounded dirty, but I was honestly curious.

"Yes," she breathed.

I flicked her clit with my tongue as I slipped another finger into her, working her up so that she was gasping and wiggling her hips underneath me. I curled my fingers inward and pressed down on her clit with my tongue while I hummed against her and felt her explode around my fingers.

As soon as she had calmed down, I pulled myself up and crushed my mouth to hers, not even thinking about the fact that she was all over my face.

"Fuck!" I shouted as I pulled away. "I'm sorry. Did that gross you out?" I knew some girls hated it while others loved it. I was secretly hoping she loved it.

Her brows were knit and she kept glancing back and forth between my eyes and my mouth, warring with something in her mind.

"No," she said quietly.

_Thank God._ Kissing her was one of my favorite things to do. I wasn't sure I would be able to keep my mouth away from hers if she didn't like it. I quickly latched my mouth back on to hers and grabbed her breast, tugging her nipple, as I shifted my body so that I was right at her entrance.

"Ready?" I panted.

She nodded furiously and a split second later I thrust into her, listening to her moan as I did.

"Ugh," I groaned. "You feel so good, baby." And she did. We fit together perfectly--it was better than anything I could have ever dreamed up.

I moved in and out of her rhythmically, before a split decision had me rolling us over so that she was on top. I grabbed her hips and guided her up and down while I ran my tongue over her jaw, across her neck.

"Sit up," I commanded, grabbing her breasts and kneading them in my palms. I knew from last night she could get loud, and that was my one focus now--to hear her scream my name before I came.

She continued to move up and down, rocking her hips as she came back down on me moaning; our bodies were now slick with sweat. I moved my hands to her hips and shifted her body as she came back down on me.

"Oh, God," she cried. I smiled a little while I moved my hand across her leg so that my thumb grazed her clit.

"Edward!" She pushed herself up and then slammed back down on me.

I could feel myself getting closer and closer with each movement she made on top of me. She came back down on me forcefully, rocking her hips forward so that her clit pushed into my thumb, and I nearly came undone.

"Bella," I grunted. "I'm going to come soon."

She moved faster on top of me. "Me... too. Oh, God. Oh... Edward!"

Her words got louder and louder as she came, shouting my name as her muscles rippled around me, and I lost it. It sounded too good to hear my name fall from her lips like that to hold on.

My vision went white, and I knew I was groaning, screaming, moaning--something--but my orgasm rushed through me so forcefully, I could no longer comprehend anything.

I pulled her down and pushed her hair away from our faces, kissing her passionately, while our bodies calmed down.

"A ghrá," I murmured against her mouth as I moved to her neck, kissing her just below her ear, "that was absolutely, without a doubt, fucking mind-blowing."

She giggled breathlessly. "Yeah. You're really good at that."

"Which part?"

"All of it." She giggled again.

"Well, thank you. You're pretty fucking fantastic, yourself." I took a deep breath. "I could stay in bed with you forever."

"Hmm. That sounds great except for the fact that we have responsibilities. And Eli."

At the moment, I couldn't care less, but she was right. I glanced over at the clock and groaned. It was already after ten and we had to be at Emmett's and Rosalie's at noon.

"Speaking of responsibilities and Eli, we'd better get up. We've got to be over at my brother's in two hours." I kissed her quickly before letting her up.

She walked across my room, naked, and bent over to get the t-shirt I'd loaned her last night off the floor. I groaned as I watched her ass when she bent over. And just like that, I was fucking hard again. I looked back over at the clock and did a quick mental calculation in my head before walking over to her and taking the shirt out of her hands.

She turned around, wide-eyed and about to say something, but I quickly silenced her with my mouth.

"Shower. Now," I growled.

* * *

We were twenty minutes late to Emmett and Rose's house, but I didn't give a shit. I pulled in the driveway and parked in the yard along with everyone else. I noticed Bella looking through the sea of cars, frowning.

"Jacob's not here yet?" I guessed.

"No. I don't see his truck anyway." She bit her lip.

"Well, maybe he got lost or something. Have you checked your phone?" I ran my hand through her hair soothingly.

"No, not yet."

I got out of the car and walked over to her side while she dug in her purse for her phone. She looked at it sadly as she got out.

"He didn't call."

"He'll be here. Maybe they did something before. He didn't have to be here right at noon, you know." I wanted to make sure Bella felt better, but I also wanted to kick Jacob's ass for putting that expression on her face.

She smiled at me. "You're right. I just wanted to watch Eli go down the slide. It's not a big deal."

I grabbed her and pulled her to me, kissing her gently on the lips. "Liar."

She rolled her eyes but didn't say anything else as I took her hand and led her to the backyard.

"Who are all these people?" she asked in wonder as she looked around.

"Some of them are family friends, some of them are from Emmett's precinct, some are from the garage Rosalie works at." I shrugged my shoulders. "Even I don't know everyone, so don't worry."

"Oh, okay." She watched some kids run towards the slip n slide. "I didn't expect so many kids here."

"Now you know why I wanted to bring Eli. I figured it would be nice if he could play with some kids his own age."

She started to say something back but we were interrupted by Alice.

"Bella! Edward!" She motioned for us to come over where my family was sitting.

We walked over and Rosalie caught my eye. "You're late," she said, giving Alice a pointed look. She must have been bugging everyone about us not being here on time.

"Sorry about that. We got... caught up with some stuff this morning." I knew I was smirking, but I didn't care.

Emmett's eyebrows shot up, and he looked at Bella. "Baby bird! I didn't know you had it in you!"

"Oh, for the love of God, Emmett. Shut up!" I groaned.

Couldn't he just pick a nickname and stick with it?

I heard feet rushing over to us before I heard Eli's voice, calling out to us.

"Momma! Edward!" We looked over and saw him dragging his towel behind him as he raced over to us.

"Hey, baby! You made it!" She grabbed him and gave him a quick hug before turning to Jacob. "I'm glad you brought him." She gave him a warm smile. It didn't take a genius to see how happy she was now that Eli was here.

He laughed. "I told you I would, Bells. I'm just sorry I'm late." He looked around, smiling. "This is some set up."

I couldn't decide if he was on the bi-polar side or if this was just show for Bella. He seemed so _genuine._ I did not, however, forget that he still owed my girlfriend an apology.

I cleared my throat. I still needed to remember my manners so that I didn't get backhanded by my mother later. "Jacob. You remember my family?"

He nodded. "It's nice to see you all again. Thank you for inviting me."

Esme gave him her best smile. "Thank you for coming!"

Eli looked up at me. "Can I go on the slip n slide now, Edward? Please?" He drug out the please.

I chuckled. "You and your dad look like you're ready to go. I don't see why not." I pointed it out to him. "It's right there."

He took off running with Jacob calling after him.

"God, Bella. He's so cute." Rosalie was watching Eli as he stripped off his shirt and threw it at Jacob.

"Thanks."

Everyone was caught up in their own conversations while Bella and I watched Eli and Jacob go down the slide together. I already had my swim trunks on, but Bella's suit was in her bag.

I wrapped my arms around her waist and lightly licked a trail up her neck. "Why don't you go inside and change... I'll go with you," I whispered before I tugged on her ear with my teeth. "Then we can join them."

She giggled softly. "You're insatiable, Edward Cullen.

I chuckled. "You've created a monster, a ghrá."

I turned her around and gave her a quick kiss on the lips before telling her which way the bathroom was. I watched her walk up the stairs before turning back to my family.

"I'm going to make sure Bella finds the bathroom okay." I looked at every one of their faces and saw them all looking at me in shock; most of their mouths were hanging open like they were off their hinges. "What?"

"Holymotherfuckingshit." I looked at Emmett who was still.

"What?" I looked over at my parents and they were grinning. "I'm not going to ask you people again. What?!"

"You _love_ her." Alice whispered.

"Um, so?" I couldn't understand what the big deal was.

"Edward. You just... You called her a ghrá."

I stared at Emmett in confusion. "You heard us?" I thought I was quiet.

"That's not the fucking point!" Emmett's look of shock had been replaced with a wide grin. "You fucking love Jelly Belly!"

Esme frowned at Emmett. "Language, please."

"Sorry, Ma."

I looked around at my family and rolled my eyes. "I'm going to go check on Bella and when I come back out I want all of you to wipe those stupid ass smiles off your face and _try_ to be normal." I pointed at Emmett. "I mean it. No embarrassing Bella." I turned and stalked off. "Get a fucking grip!" I called as I glanced over my shoulder. They were all whispering excitedly to themselves.

With the way they were acting, you'd think it was happening to them. That they were the ones who fell in love instead of me. I was glad they were so happy for me, but having to deal with it all day was bound to get annoying.

* * *

**Bella**

I came out of the bathroom and looked around. "No one's out here."

Edward came out and tied his shorts. "I don't see why it matters. We're two consensual adults here, Bella."

I snorted. I still don't know how I let him talk me in to a quickie in his brother's bathroom. "Be that as it may, you're going to have to get a hold on Mr. Happy down there." I pointed to his crotch. "If you keep this shit up, I'm not going to be able to walk."

I was going to be pretty sore as it was. Six times in fourteen hours was going to be more than I could handle. I didn't have a lot of practice, exactly.

He grinned. "Hmm. I like the sound of that."

"You won't like it when it means you don't get any until I heal. I'm not a machine, Edward!"

He grabbed me and spun me around. "I know, I'm sorry. You're just so..." He trailed off, thinking. "Irresistible." He gave me a quick kiss. "And I love you. I've wanted to do that to you since the first time I saw you. I've had to deal with a month full of pent up sexual energy that I'm finally able to release properly, and I guess I'm getting a little carried away. Forgive me?"

He gave me this pseudo-puppy dog face. The face that said 'I'm so fucking hot, you can't keep your hands off me either, but I'll apologize if it makes you feel better'.

I huffed. "I love you, too." I smiled at him. "And I'll forgive you once I see that your behavior is a little better. Especially around my son."

He grabbed my face in his hands and kissed me hard. "Fuck. That's the last time I'm going to really be able to kiss you all day, isn't it?"

I sighed. "Probably. Come on, let's go before people start sending out a search party."

"You like Mr. Happy though, right?"

I laughed. "Oh, God. Are we twelve? Of course I like Mr. Happy. In fact, I love Mr. Happy. If it weren't for your beautiful face with that damn crooked smile of yours, Mr. Happy might actually be the best part about you." I turned around to face him. "Satisfied?"

"Very." He grabbed my hand. "By the way, it's not Mr. Happy." I looked at him in confusion. I was pretty sure his dick was happy right now. "It's my WMD."

This cracked me up. After my laughter died down, I finally asked, "You made that up in Iraq, didn't you?"

He grinned like he was extremely pleased with himself. "Yep. We got bored one day so we made up nicknames for our cocks."

He wrapped his arm around me and hugged me against his side. "My family realized just before I came inside that I love you and are acting like complete morons about it."

I groaned. "Am I going to have to put up with Emmett's crap all day?"

"I doubt it. He's a pain in the ass, but he likes you."

We made our way over to the slip n slide just as Eli was coming back up the hill.

"Momma! Edward! Are you guys going to go down with me, too?" His hair was smashed to his head and he had soap dripping down his body.

"You want us to?"

"Yeah!" He grabbed Edward's hand. "You first, Edward!"

I watched as Edward ran through the sprinkler enough to get his shorts wet before he and Eli took a running leap on the slide, landing on their stomachs and splashing into the soapy water at the bottom. I couldn't help but laugh.

"This was a really good idea." I looked over at Jacob. "Eli loves it."

I was still seeing my thirty-year-old boyfriend sliding down the hill like a child in my head. I finally controlled my laughter and responded. "I can see that."

He came a little closer and grabbed my hand. I looked up at him in shock. "I've missed you, Bells."

I looked down at his hand. "I've missed you, too, Jake."

I looked over to see Edward eyeing us curiously. He went back over with Eli and this time they sat on their butts before pushing off and going down on their backs.

He looked over at where I was watching Edward and Eli play at the bottom of the hill in the soapy water. "He really likes him, doesn't he?"

"Which one?"

"Both."

I sighed. I was well aware of how lucky I was. "Yeah."

He didn't seem to like my answer. "Listen, can we take a walk for a second?"

"Sure."

I turned back and waited for Edward to come back up the hill so that I could tell him where I would be. He looked between the two of us and nodded before kissing my cheek and walking back over to Eli.

Jacob and I walked to the front of the house, stopping at Emmett and Rose's front porch. I sat down and watched Jacob pace in front of me.

"Bells, I'm so sorry about the way I've been acting," he said in a rush.

I looked up at him in shock. "You are?"

"Of course I am. It's just been hard on me. I'm in a new place, with a new job. I've made friends, don't get me wrong. But you got here and you just _fit_. And I can't help but wonder, where do I fit in this new life of yours?"

I felt my eyes prick with tears. "Oh, Jake."

I may not agree with the way he'd been acting toward me, but he was still my best friend. Before I realized what I was doing, I wrapped my arms around him and buried my face into his chest. I felt his big arms wrap around me and rest lightly on my back. We stood there for a while before finally breaking away. I looked up to see Jacob's face full of pain.

"Are you okay?" I asked softly.

"Yes. No. I don't know." He gazed down at me and ran his black eyes over my face. "Bella, I love you."

I smiled. "I love you, too, Jake. You know I do."

He shook his head. "No. I _love_ you." I felt my mouth pop open. "I should have told you from the beginning. I don't know why I didn't." He seemed to be scolding himself. "I can't believe I'm telling you like this."

His pace was back, but this time it was feral. I found myself wishing I'd never agreed to this walk.

"How long?" I didn't know what else to ask.

He laughed bleakly. "Since the day I met you."

"What?" I was stunned. We'd been just kids when we met.

I felt my throat close up but I knew I had to get the next question out. "That night..." I couldn't finish.

I didn't have to. He knew exactly what I was talking about. "Bella, I swear. I thought you wanted me just as much as I wanted you. And when you woke up the next morning and couldn't remember anything, I couldn't tell you that I _did_. I don't know why I couldn't. I was scared I guess." I was going to say something, but he just kept going. "Bella, I don't regret it. It was one the most fantastic experiences of my life, and my complete and total stupidity gave us our son. Something that's a part of you and me. How could I regret that?"

I could feel myself shaking in anger. "You remembered it?" My voice was cold, full of ice. "All this time you remembered it?"

"Yes," he said weakly.

"You selfish son of a bitch!" I was screeching now. I couldn't even begin to process this new information, so I just yelled. "I could have gotten the morning after pill if I'd _known_ that I needed it!" I shook my head. I didn't want to erase Eli. I would never want to my son to not be here.

"No, scratch that. I could _never _not want my son." I looked into his face. It was the face of a stranger--I no longer saw my best friend in his eyes. "I could have been fucking NORMAL!!! Our relationship could have been normal! I could have gone on dates, fallen in love, not been so lonely all the time!" I was slammed with the realization that it may not have been Eli that chased the guys away. "What did you do?"

"What?"

"What did you DO to make all the guys walk away?!" My chest heaved and I was on the verge of sobs.

"Nothing!" I glared at him incredulously. "I... I just talked to them! None of them were that interested, so I gave them an out!" He looked down. "I may have told one guy that we were getting together. You know, the last one. What was his name? Andy or something?"

That was all it took. The sobs ripped from my chest, and my vision blurred with my angry tears.

"Damn it, Jake! I really liked that guy!"

I had wondered for months why he never called me back. I had always tried to figure out why he seemed so interested in kids, only to tell him about Eli and have him run off. It just never made sense. And of course, I thought it was something I did or didn't do. In bed. He was the first guy since I'd gotten pregnant that I'd actually slept with. Until Edward.

"Did you try to do it with Edward?" I was afraid of the answer, but needed to know.

"Bella! It doesn't matter. I-"

"Answer me!" I shouted.

"No. I never got the chance." But he would have if he had.

He reached out to touch me, but I stepped away. "DON'T FUCKING TOUCH ME!" I took a deep breath to calm myself. "How could you? You _lied_ to me all this time!"

"Bella, I'm so sorry. I love you!"

"You don't do that to someone you love." I was quiet, but my voice was fierce.

I stood there, waiting for him to leave, but he never moved. I finally looked over at him to see him watching me with the most unfathomable expression on his face.

Before I could register the movement, he had his hands on my face and his lips on mine. He forced my lips apart, and I felt his tongue snake in my mouth, touching mine. I instantly recoiled. It wasn't my Edward.

I took a step back and without a word, slammed my fist into his face. "Stay away from me, Jacob."

I walked off and rounded the corner, running straight into Edward as I did. "Bella!" His gaze raked over my body, widening as he saw me cradling my hand. "What happened?"

I curled into him, feeling his arms wrap around me. "You were right," I sobbed. "He loves me. He remembers everything from that night. He only pretended not to remember because I didn't." My chest was heaving again and my vision was blurry. "He... He pushed all the guys who I ever tried to date away. He would have tried with you, too, but he never got the chance."

"So you hit him?"

"No. I hit him because the fucker kissed me," I growled.

I felt Edward's grip tighten around my body before he quickly released it. "That mother fucker." He dropped his arms and took off towards the front of the house.

I stood there for a spit second before realizing what was about to happen. "EMMETT!! JASPER!!" I called, as loud as I could, before running after him.

"Who the fuck do you think you are, kissing someone else's girlfriend?" Edward seethed, his face just inches away from Jacob's. He was calm, cool--deadly.

"Oh, fucking chill, Cullen." Jacob rubbed his jaw. I felt pretty smug that I'd hurt him. "You've only known her for what, a month? You think that gives you some sort of _claim_ on her?"

"No. But that fact that she loves me gives me some sort of _claim_ on her," he snarled back.

Jacob flinched like Edward had slapped him in the face.

His eyes darted over at me, and I kept my face expressionless. I was beyond being friendly.

"You love him?" Jacob was looking at me in disbelief. Like it was unrealistic for me to love Edward--which pissed me off even more.

I wasn't speaking to the asshole, so I merely nodded.

"Perhaps you should try kissing someone who actually _wants_ to kiss you back, Jacob."

Edward walked over to me and wrapped his arm around me, kissing my forehead and rubbing my arm soothingly. The action caused Jacob to fume with anger. Every muscle in his large body tightened as he held on to the last of his self-control.

I heard Emmett and Jasper walk up and stand behind us. Jacob took notice and sneered. "What? You can't fight your own battles?" He nodded his head in Emmett and Jasper's direction. "You needed to call for backup? Are you _that _frightened of me?"

"No," Edward replied, unaffected by Jacob's words. "I didn't call for them. But if I were you, I'd leave before making a fool out of yourself. Emmett doesn't take too kindly to people ruining his fun."

Jacob stood there, gauging the situation before finally walking towards his truck.

"Oh, Jacob?" Edward called. Jacob turned back, looking absolutely furious. "She _is_ mine. And I _will_ fight for what's mine. Just remember that the next time you think about kissing the woman I love."

I heard the growl erupt from Jacob's chest and saw his body turn towards us. Any sense of self preservation Jacob had a few seconds ago was now gone.

"Momma! Edward!" Eli came racing around the corner, past Emmett and Jasper who were now tensed like they were preparing for battle.

"Hey, baby." I pulled him in my arms and sat him on my hip, wincing as a sharp pain shot up my arm.

Jacob looked at me, and I just shook my head. There was no way in hell I was letting my child get in a truck with his enraged father.

"Daddy, do you have to go bye-bye?" Eli asked curiously.

"Yeah, buddy. I've got to work. But you have fun with Mom, okay?" He gave him a small smile. The fury was still in his eyes, but his face softened at the sight of his son.

As pissed off as I was, I couldn't let him walk away thinking he'd never see his son again. It just wasn't in me to be that cruel and vindictive. Jacob, for all his faults, was fantastic with Eli.

"Jake?" He looked at me, his brow knit. "Give me a call on Monday so we can discuss some sort of schedule with Eli." He nodded his head and hopped in the truck.

I put Eli down and told him to go back and play with the other kids for a minute while I had Edward look at my hand. Once he was gone, Emmett and Jasper started talking at once.

I held up my free hand for them to stop. "I don't want to talk about it right now."

I was surprisingly calm at the moment. I could feel the pain threatening to rip my chest apart, but I refused to let it ruin Emmett and Rosalie's party.

"Right now, all I feel like doing is living in denial for a while and enjoying this party." I looked at Jasper who smirked at me. _Damn psychologist. _"I'll tell you all about it later. And then I'm sure I'll cry for a while afterwards." It was inevitable.

They simply nodded and walked away.

Edward finished examining my hand and pulled my face up towards his. "You broke it," he said quietly, running his gaze over my face.

I blew out my breath loudly. "I figured. Do I need a cast?"

He nodded. "Are you all right?" His voice was tender, smooth--like liquid. I instantly felt better.

"I'm better now." I looked into his bright green eyes. "I didn't kiss him back."

He laughed. "I know you didn't, baby. Did you think I would be mad at you?" I nodded weakly. "I could never be mad at you for something like this. I'm mad at Jacob." His eyes went hard and flat and his nostrils flared; his expression was terrifying.

"Were you going to fight him?"

"No."

I was stunned. "Why not?" It would have been nice to see Jacob get his ass kicked by Edward, Emmett, and Jasper.

"Because, it would have upset you." I scoffed. "Eventually," he qualified.

"What am I going to do about work?" For some reason, that question popped into my mind.

His face lightened up, and he laughed. "You_ are_ going to live in denial for a while." He took a deep breath. "It should only need a cast for a month. You can probably do everything but chop." He shrugged. "But I wouldn't know. You'll just have to see what all you can do with it, then go from there."

I nodded. "I'm sorry. I guess I need to apologize to Emmett and Rosalie, too."

"No apologies necessary." He leaned down and kissed me gently, running his tongue along my lips. I sighed softly and felt him smile against my lips. "Now, let's go get some ice on your hand before the swelling gets too bad."


	12. Chapter 12

**Thanks for the reviews!!!!!**

**This chapter is just basically dealing with Jacob's admission and some background on Bella's relationship with him.**

**Just a warning, I purposefully left out any and every mention of rape...I want to make sure that it's completely understood that anything in the chapter is just to continue to storyline and in no way reflects the way I personally feel about the situation. I will never write about rape, so the characters will not even be considering it as an issue. I've not meant to offend anyone with this, so if it has, I apologize. I'm only going by the experience of a couple friends of mine. She remembered it; he didn't. **

* * *

Chapter 12

**Bella**

As promised, I pushed the Jacob issue out of my head and tried to enjoy the rest of the party. We ended up leaving at dark and making a quick stop at the ER, where Edward x-rayed my hand and told me that I had a metacarpal fracture that thankfully wasn't severe enough to need surgery. He wrapped my hand in a cast, extending it up my ring and pinky fingers so that I couldn't move the bone I'd broken.

_There went the sous chef position. _

We went back to my townhouse, grabbing a few things that Eli and I would need, before heading back to Edward's. It was Edward's decision for us to spend the night at his house, just in case Jacob tried to do something stupid tonight. I didn't think it was necessary, but knew it would make Edward feel better, so I agreed.

We made up the guest room upstairs for Eli and finally, after two hours, got him in the bed. He was so excited to be spending the night at Edward's house, he couldn't seem to calm down.

I decided while giving Eli his bath that I needed a shower. I felt like I had a light film covering my entire body from all the soap. I stepped into the hot stream of water, keeping my hand out of the water, and felt the ice that had formed around my heart finally melt. I heard my strangled sob reverberate off the tile as I tried to control my emotions--only to fail miserably.

I collapsed on the tile floor and let the sadness wash over me. It felt irrational to me that I was letting Jacob affect me this severely, but I couldn't stop the tears. The grief I felt was absurd. It felt like I was mourning his death. I barked out a laugh in between my loud sobs. I suppose, in a way, I was. Even if there was a way Jacob and I could work past this, things between us would never be the same. Edward had taken Jacob's place in my heart now that I finally knew what love was supposed to feel like, and I wasn't really sure I could _ever_ really work past this with Jacob.

Jacob was my best friend. He had been my best friend since I could remember. He was comforting, like home. Now that I was actually examining our relationship, I knew that I had just as much blame in this as Jacob did.

I had never really felt loved as a child. I had no mother and virtually no father. Charlie was far too wrapped up in his grief over Renee to be the father I needed. I had let my entire universe revolve around the one boy who ever showed me any kind of love and affection--Jacob. I was too comfortable in my relationship with Jacob to ever branch out and make any other friends... Anyone other than Angela, that is, and I had to admit it was only because I was beginning to need a girl to talk to about things that were happening to my body. I couldn't exactly talk to Jacob about it, and I certainly couldn't go to my father about it. He'd have died of embarrassement on the spot.

I heard the shower door open and looked up to see Edward looking down at me with a horrified expression on his face, causing me to convulse into even louder, more forceful sobs.

He stepped into the shower--stil clothed--and crouched down and pulled me into his lap, making sure my hand never touched the stream of water.

"Bella. My beautiful Bella," he murmured against my cheek. "I'm so sorry."

"It's my fault," I hiccupped.

"What?" He grabbed my face and forced me to look up at him. "What in the hell are you talking about?" He looked at me angrily.

"I led him on." I took a deep breath, trying to control the involuntary heaving of my chest. "I let myself be so wrapped up in our friendship, I gave him the wrong impression."

"How the fuck is this _your_ fault, Isabella?" I felt a jolt of shock. He'd never used my full name before.

"I gave him the wrong impression," I repeated. "Think about it. You're friends with this girl, who latches onto you and hangs on for dear life. She never tells you about her insecurities. About never feeling loved by anyone except you, about her debilitating shyness that kept her from trying to make other friends." I looked up at Edward, who looked confused. I needed to find another way to explain it.

"Jacob came into my life when I had no one. My mother was gone and had practically taken Charlie with her when she died. I didn't talk to anyone at school." I thought about it for a moment. "I was only ten. I felt like I was drowning in my sadness. He was like a life preserver--saving me-- when I met him. He was so warm, so friendly. He had these kind eyes and this smile that welcomed me into his world immediately. I became friends with him and never looked back. He made my life so easy. I didn't need anyone but him, so I never tried. Sure, I had Angela for all the girly things, but Jacob was my whole life. How did that look like to him? How did it look like from the outside?"

I sat there, waiting for Edward's response.

"Like you were in love with him," he finally said.

"Exactly. I was an idiot. When I went off to school in Seattle, I never thought twice about leaving Jacob behind because I thought he would always be there for me, no matter where we were in our lives. But as a brother. I didn't see the signs." No, that wasn't right. "I didn't _want_ to see the signs. I ignored them."

It was like the veil had been lifted, and I could see everything so clearly. Sure, I had never thought of Jacob as any other way but as a friend--as family. But now that I knew that he felt differently, I could suddenly pin point the times where he let his perfectly controlled facade slip, showing me his true feelings in small fragments but never giving me the complete picture. He was always able to pull the shield back up before I could ever second guess him.

"You see them now?"

I looked into Edward's beautiful face. "Yes. This one time stands out in particular." I thought back at the memory, trying to remember it clearly for Edward. "It was just after I went to college. I only went to UW for a couple of years before deciding I'd rather go to culinary school." I smiled at him. "I wanted to be a writer."

I shook my head, focusing on the story. "I met this guy there. Mike. He was so sweet, so funny. The day after I met him, he told me how much he liked me and asked me out on a date. I wasn't really sure if I wanted to date him. I was only nineteen and had only been in college for a few months. My plan was to focus on school and get out as quickly as possible, with the best grades possible. But he was so persistent. He never forced it on me, but I found that after a while, I was really starting to like him. I called Jacob, trying to get some advice and he told me I should focus on school, not some random guy who I may not see again after the year was up. I didn't think about it then, but now I see that he was obviously trying to discourage me from dating him.

"After a while, Mike asked me out again, and I said yes. I was so excited! I had my first real date. I called Jacob up and told him all about it. He was quiet but said he was happy for me and to be careful. Saturday night rolled around, and I stood there, all dressed up, waiting for Mike to pick me up. I heard the knock on the door and ran over to it, thinking it was Mike, only to find Jacob waiting there with a huge grin plastered across his face.

"I remember seeing the look on his face when I opened the door, all dressed up for my date. He looked at me with so much love in his eyes before he quickly covered it up. I never noticed it."

"Did you go out on your date?" he asked softly.

"No. Mike showed up, and I cancelled it so that I could spend time with Jacob. That was the first time he interfered in my life. I'm sure now it was on purpose."

He looked me over before speaking. "Bella, how much do you actually remember from the night you and Jacob had sex?"

I thought about it for a minute. "I told you everything I remember. Just everything leading up to it. I blacked out." I shrugged, unsure of where this was going.

"Tell me again." I gave him a puzzled look. "Please?"

I took a deep breath. "Okay, I remember getting to Port Angeles and going to a few bars. I remember drinking more than I usually did but not worrying about it because we had a designated driver, and I was celebrating Jake's twenty-first birthday." I was silent for a moment, reliving that night. "I remember the drive home, and I can vaguely remember climbing into Jake's bed with him. After that, I'm not sure. I guess I passed out?" I shook my head. "No, I must not have passed out if I had sex." I put my head in my uninjured hand. "God, how could I have been so stupid? How could I not see how he felt about me?" I pulled in a sharp breath. "What did I say to him to make him think it was okay?" I started crying again. "This is my fault," I repeated.

"Bella, we have a tendency to overlook the things that are right in front of our faces. It wasn't your fault, a ghrá. Something like this could never be your fault." He paused for a moment, collecting himself. "Jacob should have told you how he felt from the very beginning." He cupped my face in his hands. "I know I would have."

"You would have?"

He smiled as he looked so deeply into my eyes, I felt him touch my heart. "Yes. I could have never been able to be around you and not do this." He placed the most gentle, loving kiss on my lips before taking it a step further and slipping his tongue in my mouth.

After a moment he pulled away. "Come on, let's get you to bed. You must be exhausted."

I shook my head. "No, not really. I didn't even shower yet." I felt the heat rise to my cheeks. "I just got in here when it all hit me." I looked down at my hand. "And I have no idea how I'm going to be able to wash my hair."

"You're clean. You slid down a hill with Eli covered in baby soap, remember?"

I let him pull me up. It was then I noticed his clothes. "You're soaked! I'm so sorry!"

He chuckled. "Don't be. As soon as I saw you in here, on the floor crying, I had to make sure you were all right. Nothing could have kept me away from you at that moment, especially not a pair of pajama pants." His eyes appraised my face. "Do you feel better now?"

I thought about it. It was like I'd purged everything out of my body. "Yeah. I do." I was still sad, but I knew that no matter what, I would be fine.

He shut the water off. "Good."

He handed me a towel before turning to the sink and brushing his teeth. I quickly slipped on my pajamas before I brushed my own teeth, then went to the bedroom to join him.

"Bella?"

"Hmm?" I looked up to see him fiddling with his alarm clock. He had a different pair of pajama pants on now.

"What time does Eli usually wake up on the weekends?"

"Um, usually around eight. Why?" I had no idea what he was doing.

"I don't know if we should let him see us sleeping in the same bed. I was thinking I'd wake up early and move to the couch before he got up."

"Edward," I said, annoyed. I _wanted_ to wake up next to him.

He looked at me and grinned. "Don't fucking argue with me, Swan. I can see it on your face. This will make things easier on all of us, and I don't mind doing it." He crawled in the bed. "Now, get your ass in here before I drag you in here instead." He gave me a crooked smile, turning all my insides to mush instantly.

I crawled in and snuggled up to him. "You are such a pain in the ass, Cullen.

"You love me."

I grinned. "Maybe."

He shifted his body and looked down at me. "Are you sure you're all right?"

"I'm fine. I promise."

He searched my face for a moment before grinning at me wickedly. "Do you think you can be quiet, Bella?"

I felt his tongue lightly trace along my jaw before reaching my ear. "You want to have sex again?" I asked, breathing heavily. My body was betraying me again.

"You're in my bed. What kind of stupid question is that?"

"Good point," I conceded.

* * *

**Edward**

I woke up at six and laid down on the couch. I was too wired to go back to sleep, so I just laid there, watching the fan spin above my head.

I could have so easily killed Jacob yesterday; I wanted to just reach over and snap his neck off his fucking spine. All the my hand to hand combat training in the Navy came back to me in that instant as my mind raced through all the ways I could incapacitate him--to kill him.

Just the thought of him touching her made the fury inside of me grow stronger, threatening to take over and seek vengeance. The only think keeping me from beating the ever-living fuck out of Jacob Black was Bella. She didn't need some crazy, possessive, idiot of a boyfriend. She needed me to be there for her and help her with Eli, in any way I could. I suddenly realized how thankful I was it was only a kiss; otherwise, my ass would be rotting in jail for murder.

Last night, I had spoken to Jasper and Emmett quietly about Bella's situation with Jacob, trying to figure out if there was something I could do to make sure she was safe in case he went completely insane on us. Bella seemed to think Jacob would just disappear for a while, but I didn't know the fucker like she did, so I wanted to make sure I had every piece of knowledge available to keep her and Eli safe.

We got home and managed to get Eli settled down enough for Bella to take a shower. I went into the bedroom and thought I heard her cry, making me run full speed across the room to check on her. After I managed to control my heart breaking at the site of my beautiful girl crumpled in pain at the bottom of the shower, I knew I had to find out exactly what happened that night.

Which made the situation all the more confusing. If she felt for Jacob like she said she did--like a brother--what did he do or say to convince her to actually _sleep_ with him?

I groaned in frustration while a string of profanites raced through my mind. I was sure Bella would never know the true story. Jacob had lied to her for six years. Why would he come clean now?

I heard footsteps come down the stairs and looked over to see Eli coming down, rubbing his eyes and yawning. I had been laying here for over two hours thinking about this shit.

"Hey, little man. Did you sleep all right?"

He padded over to the couch and laid beside me, curling his little body up next to mine. I gazed down at him and smiled. There was no doubt about it anymore; I loved this kid.

"Yeah. Edward?"

"Hmm?"

"Why was Daddy mad yesterday?" he asked quietly.

_Shit._ "Well, he was mad he had to leave you and the party and go to work," I lied.

"Oh." He yawned again.

"Still sleepy?" I felt him nod against my chest, causing me to chuckle softly. "So is your mom." I was pretty sure the painkiller I'd practically shoved down her throat after I had my way with her last night had something to do with that. "Hey, want to go run over to McDonald's and get her breakfast?"

His head snapped up and he was grinning from ear to ear. "I want a bacon, egg, and cheese!" he shouted happily.

"Bacon, egg, and cheese it is. What does Mom like?"

His brows knit. "I dunno. She never gets McDonald's."

"Well, we've got to get her something. She can't cook this morning. And neither can I." _Not anything edible, anyway._

Eli snorted. "Yeah. Cause Momma hurt her hand. She always falls and hurts herself."

I laughed. "Yes, she does." But not this time.

We got dressed and brushed our teeth. I grabbed a spray bottle and filled it with water, fully intending on taming Eli's case of bed head.

He held up his hands. "No!" I put the water down. "You don't use it on your hair!"

"That's because my hair doesn't lay down."

He looked confused. "What do you mean?"

I squatted down and started running my hands through my hair. "Do you see how it goes in all these crazy directions?"

He traced one of my cowlicks with his finger. "Yeah?"

"It grows funny. Plus, I have a really bad habit of doing this." I ran my hand through my hair, making it stand up on all ends. "So I gave up trying to fix it a long time ago. Sometimes I get it cut short so it doesn't look so bad, but usually, I just wear a hat to cover it up."

"Oh."

"So can I fix your hair? I think your mom would probably be happy if I did."

"No." He crossed his arms over his chest and stuck out his chin. "I want mine to look like yours."

I cocked my eyebrow at him but said nothing. This could be potentially disastrous.

"All right. Let's go then before Mom wakes up or we end up missing breakfast."

I scribbled a note to Bella, explaining where we were going, and left it on the island. We got in the Volvo and made our way to McDonald's. I scrolled through my iPod and played the Kings of Leon at Eli's request. He had very strange taste in music for a five-year-old. He didn't like any of the normal 'kid' songs. I was told that the only reason he knew any songs written for children at all was because of his preschool back in Forks.

We got breakfast and made it back to the house in record time. I got Eli set up at the table and heard Bella's footsteps walking towards us. I turned back and gave her a warm smile.

She scrubbed her face with her hand and smiled back. It didn't reach her eyes, so I knew she was still upset with herself about everything. Why she was blaming herself was beyond me, but I was going to try like hell to convince her that no matter what she did or didn't do, it was never her fault.

"I got breakfast. Eli didn't know what you wanted so we got you a bacon, egg, and cheese and a sausage McMuffin. I know it's not very good for you, but it tastes fu-. Uh, great." I was going to have to watch myself a little closer.

She laughed. "Thanks. That was very sweet of you guys."

"Momma?" Eli mumbled around his food, getting a glare from Bella as she sat down. He quickly finished chewing and swallowed before continuing. "Is Daddy going to have to work a lot again?"

She looked at him with a pained expression. "I don't know, sweetie." She reached over and grabbed his arm. "But you know he'll come and see you as soon as he can, right?"

"Yeah." He looked so sad, I wanted to break Jacob's neck all over again.

Bella gave me a pointed look, and I realized my expression was showing the anger I felt inside.

"Sorry," I muttered. I fucking hated this shit.

"No, I'm sorry." She picked at her biscuit.

"Bella. Not that again. Please. _You_ have nothing to be sorry about." I reached over and squeezed her hand reassuringly.

We finished breakfast, and I got Rock Band set up for Eli in the bonus room upstairs so that I could help Bella in the shower. The memories from yesterday's shower ran through my mind the entire time and it was all I could do to help her wash her hair without slamming her against the wall and fucking her as hard as I could.

As soon as I got dressed again, my cell phone started buzzing on the nightstand next to me. I picked it up and answered the unknown number hesitantly.

"Hello?" Bella looked up at me, questioning the sound of my voice.

"Dr. Cullen? This is Jason Jenks. Your brother-in-law Jasper asked me to contact you about some matters regarding your girlfriend?"

"Yes! Thank you for calling. Could you give me just a moment?"

I had asked Jasper to call his lawyer friend, Jason, so that I could get some sort of an idea of what Bella would expect if she wanted to file for sole custody of Eli. I wanted to make sure he was protected. I was shocked he was calling me on a Sunday.

"Yes, of course."

I covered the phone with my hand and looked over to Bella. "I've got to take this. I'll be outside in case Eli comes down screaming and yelling at bad guys or something."

She giggled. "Okay."

I quickly went outside and sat down in one of the chairs on my deck before bringing the phone back up to my mouth. "Mr. Jenks? What have you got for me?"

I heard his intake of breath. "Well, Jasper mentioned something about your girlfriend possibly looking to get custody of her son?"

"Yes."

"I want to ask you a few questions about the situation, if your girlfriend decides to go that route." I waited. "She has a steady income and has been the sole provider for the child since birth, correct?"

"Yes."

"And Mr. Black has _not_ paid any child support?"

I shook my head, even though he couldn't see it. "No."

"All right. It sounds like Ms. Swan would have an excellent case against the father and should have no issue gaining sole custody of the boy, should she choose to do so."

I exhaled in relief. "Really? Why's that?"

"Well, she's been the sole caregiver for all the boy's life, allowing the father visitation whenever he wanted, overnights included. The father _may_ have bought things for the boy, but never gave the mother any child support. It would be up to him to prove that he spent as much or more than what the state would determine his back support amount to be and most parents don't think about keeping records like that.

"Also, in light of the circumstances that the child was conceived in, and the fact that his father blatantly hid any knowledge of that night from your girlfriend for over six years doesn't play well on his character. Because of this a judge would seriously question his ability to make sound decisions for the child."

I thanked him and quickly hung up, staring into the woods behind my house. I wasn't exactly sure how to approach the subject with Bella, without her getting angry with me for interfering, but I wanted to make sure she had every option available to her.

I heard the door shut behind me and Bella's arm wrapped around my shoulders. "Hey, you."

"Hey, back." I looked up at her and gave her a chaste kiss on the lips.

"Eli fell asleep on the couch upstairs."

I chuckled. "Good. I wanted to talk to you for a second anyway."

"All right."

I pulled her into my lap, running my hand over her arm soothingly. "How are you feeling?"

She shrugged. "I'm all right. I just wish I knew what happened that night. And why Jacob kept it from me all this time."

"Do you-" I cleared my suddenly dry throat. "Do you feel like he took advantage of you?"

She looked at me in surprise. "Why do you?" I nodded, making her brows crease. "Well, I guess if I really make myself think about it, about what I would think about someone else put in this position, then yes. I guess he did."

"I'm sorry. I can't imagine someone knowingly taking advantage of a drunk woman."

She rested her head on my shoulder. "Maybe he didn't."

My whole body went rigid. "What?"

"Well, maybe in his mind he doesn't think he did."

"Please tell me you are not making fucking excuses for him, Bella." I wanted to shout but I kept my voice even.

"No. Not at all. I only know my point of view. We don't know what Jacob was thinking."

I sat there for a moment, processing her words and hearing the double meaning behind them. She was still blaming herself.

"You're a fucking martyr, Bella Swan."

She laughed once. "Why's that?"

"You'd much rather put the blame on yourself than on anyone else. Even when it's in no way your fault."

She sighed. "I guess it's not _really_ my fault. I just can't help but think if I hadn't been so attached to Jacob when we were younger that things might have been different. You know, the should've, would've, could've's. I guess I'm just going to have to realize that there's nothing I can change now and that no matter what, Jacob shouldn't have done that to me. Or he should have at least been man enough to admit his mistake." She laughed bleakly to herself. "You think maybe he thought I'd never speak to him again if he told me?"

I shrugged. "It's possible. Would you not have?"

"No, I wouldn't have," she said quietly. "He took something of mine that I was saving for the right time, the right person. And I can never get it back. I know it's not important to some people, but it was to me. If I'd known that he remembered taking it from me, I don't think I ever would have forgiven him."

"Will you forgive him now?" I hugged her against my body.

"I don't know. I don't want to, but we've been best friends for seventeen years. I don't know how my life should _be_ without him. And more importantly, he's Eli's father. Don't I have some sort of obligation to my son to at least _try_?"

I turned her face so that I could see her. "Bella, the only obligation you have to Eli is to be the best mother you can to him. If that means keeping Jacob in his life, then so be it. But you don't have to if you don't want to. If you don't think it's best, then don't."

I frankly didn't think the fucktard deserved to have Bella or Eli in his life ever again, but I was keeping that opinion to myself. It was Bella's decision to make--not mine.

She looked so confused. "What are you talking about?"

I took a deep breath, and braced myself for her wrath. "I talked to a lawyer a minute ago." Her eyes got huge. "I wanted to make sure that if the situation escalated, there was something we could do to keep Eli safe and happy."

"And?" She was tense but surprisingly, not angry.

"He thinks given the situation and the fact that you've been the one to care for Eli all this time, with Jacob only having overnight visits with him, you could get sole custody if you wanted it."

She exhaled sharply. "I don't know if I want it, baby. It's so hard as it is. Jacob doesn't do much, but he does keep him every other weekend and during the week when he has time. And that's not even the biggest part of it. I wouldn't mind having Eli all day, every day. But what about the financial part of it? I mean, Jacob does _occasionally_ buy him clothes and shoes. We split birthday and Christmas presents. And the days that he keeps him are days I don't have to spend any extra money. And it's just going to get worse. I have to start paying kindergarten tuition next month and then there's doctor and dentist bills, college. Hell, he could wind up needing braces, for all I know." She looked at me, her expression full of sadness. "How am I going to be able to do all that on my own?"

I took her face in my hands and nuzzled her nose with mine. "You're never going to be alone again, a ghrá. Don't you know that I would do _anything_ for you?"

"I don't expect you to take care of us, Edward."

"But what if I want to?" I asked.

"Edward." She shook her head. "It doesn't matter anyway. I can't afford to go to court."

"You can if you let me help," I said softly.

She sat there scowling at the ground as she thought about me helping her out with Eli. Finally, she took a deep breath and looked back up at me. "Edward?" I waited for her to continue. "What would you do if you were me?"

I thought about it thoroughly before answering her. "I can't answer that for you." I saw her shoulder sag in disappointment. "He's not my son, but if this is something you choose to do, I'll be here in any and every way I can. For both of you." She gave me a sad smile and nodded. "You're not angry with me for contacting a lawyer?"

"No. You're just trying to make sure I have all options in front of me, not take over my life. I understand. I'd do it for you."

"Oh, yeah?"

She ran her hand across my face. "Yeah. I'd do anything for you, Edward."

I kissed her gently. "Ditto."


	13. Chapter 13

**Anyways, I seriously considered doing this in Jacob's POV, but decided against it. Instead, I wrote Jacob's 21st birthday in third person.**

**Thanks for the reviews...and have fun with the lemon.**

* * *

Chapter 13

**Bella**

Two weeks. It had been two weeks since I'd seen or heard from Jacob--the last time being in Emmett and Rosalie's front yard. I called him almost every day, even though Edward thought I was crazy for wanting to get a hold of him. I'd even called Billy, who hadn't heard from him either.

It wasn't that I wanted our relationship to go back the way it was. In fact, in the last couple of weeks I'd pretty much resolved that any and every kind of contact with Jacob outside of him being Eli's father was unnecessary and in all honesty, my life was much simpler without him in it.

I missed my best friend, but I was happy now--happy with Edward and Eli and my new group of friends I'd found since moving to Chicago. I wanted to eventually talk to him about that night--to see if he would give me any idea of what I did or said to have made him think I wanted it just as much as he did--but I was in no hurry to do so. I wasn't sure any reason or excuse he could come up with for lying to me for so long would be enough for me.

What I couldn't stop calling him about was Eli. Even when Jacob was busy with work, he always called to talk to his son, and Eli hadn't heard a word from him.

And although I hadn't seen any difference in Eli's behavior or demeanor, it had to be affecting him in some way.

I couldn't work because of my hand. Edward stayed with me at my townhouse when he got off work or picked Eli and me up and took us to his house every night. During the day, Alice would come over and help me around the house or with Eli, since it was almost impossible for me to do anything with this stupid cast on my hand. I felt like an invalid, like I'd lost some of my independence. I hated it.

I looked down at my hand and scowled.

Edward wrapped his arm around me and laughed. "Two more weeks, a ghrá."

"It doesn't hurt! Can't we just take it off now?" I whined.

"No."

I huffed and crossed my arms over my chest, but he just ignored me.

"Bella? What do you want to do about Jacob's signature?" He held out the form and pointed to the line.

Eli was going to start kindergarten in just over a two weeks and Edward was filling all the forms out for me since I couldn't write legibly.

"I have no idea. I left Jacob a message telling him when Eli started school and that I needed some help filling out these forms, but he never called back. That was last week. You'd think he'd want to be there for his son on his first day of kindergarten, but no." I drug out the 'no' like a petulant child.

"Maybe it's better this way."

I glared at Edward. "How is it better for Eli to not know where he stands with his father? To not know where he even is?"

He shrugged. "Less drama, Bella." He looked over at me and sighed. "But you have a point."

"I guess you can just write down his information and if he comes by to sign it, great. If not..." I trailed off. This was ridiculous.

He went back to work on the forms just when the front door opened.

"Edward? Bella?"

"In here, Alice!" Edward called.

Alice walked in the kitchen with a wide grin on her face. "Hey! What are you guys up to?"

"Kindergarten forms," I answered.

She looked down and frowned. "Why are there so many? It's like he's applying to college or something!"

Edward opened and closed his hand, grimacing. "Tell me about it. I've been working on this shit for an hour." He looked up at her. "Where's Eli?"

Alice and Jasper had taken Eli swimming at Carlisle and Esme's house to give us some time to get these forms filled out without him constantly bugging us for something, and because Alice loved being with him. It was like she could play mommy for a few hours, hype him up on sugar and cokes, and ship him back home for his mother to deal with the fall out.

God bless Alice and the time I got to spend with Edward alone, regardless of Eli's attitude when he came back.

"Jasper's bringing him in. He fell asleep in the car."

Edward got up and placed a kiss on my forehead. "I'm going to go check on him."

I watched him walk away before turning back to Alice, who was now sitting in Edward's spot.

"So how are you feeling?"

"Just peachy," I answered sarcastically.

She frowned. "Seriously, Bella."

"Well, I'm annoyed that I can't seem to figure out where in the hell my son's father is and why he refuses to answer my calls or call his son. I'm still pissed at him for what he did to me, and I have no way of getting any of this anger out of me because, as I just mentioned, I can't get a hold of him. I'm worried about Eli, even though he seems to be fine and most of all, I really, _really_ want to know exactly what happened that night. It's driving me crazy!" I put my face in my hand and leaned against the table. "On the flip side, things with Edward are going great."

She smiled. "Well, at least things with my brother are going well." Her face abruptly got serious. "Listen, did you ever think that maybe Jacob's disappeared because he's ashamed of what he did? I mean, I don't know the guy, but he seemed okay to me. This doesn't seem like something he does on a regular basis. More like a monumental fuck up."

_Huh._ "I never really thought of it like that, Alice." I paused. "But why ignore Eli?"

"I'm not sure. But Bella, I've seen the way he looks at that little boy. He loves him. Maybe he's just trying to work things out in his head before he comes back around so that he can still be a good dad to Eli."

That did actually make me feel a little better about Jacob's disappearance.

"Thanks."

Edward came back into the kitchen. "Well, Eli's watching SpongeBob and Jasper's out in the car. He said you guys have somewhere to go?"

"Yeah, his parents are flying in from Texas for some sort of convention here and we're supposed to go to dinner with them." She hopped out of the chair. "Wish me luck!"

She raced out of the room before either of us could say anything back.

Edward walked over and stood behind my chair, draping his arms lightly around my neck. "So think Alice is right?"

I craned my neck around to see him. "About what?"

"Jacob."

I quirked a brow. "Didn't Esme ever teach you that it was impolite to eavesdrop?"

He shrugged. "It might've been mentioned at some point."

I sighed. "I hope so."

"So do I, Bella."

* * *

I was on the phone, talking to Charlie about the situation, when Edward came rushing through the door looking ten shades of pissed, motioning urgently at me with his hands for me to hang up.

"Dad? I've got to go. I'll call you tomorrow, all right?"

I could hear him mumbling something on the other end, but couldn't understand it.

"Fine. Tell Eli I love him, and I _expect_ to hear from you tomorrow. I'm not finished talking to you about this."

"Okay, Dad. Bye."

I hung up the phone before he could say anything back. "What the hell is going on?"

Edward pinched the bridge of his nose, a habit I was quickly learning to mean that he was either extremely pissed or upset. "Jacob's out front. What do you want to do?"

"I want to talk to him!" I practically yelled at Edward. "Sorry."

He groaned. "Bella, I'm going to go outside with you. I won't be near you while you talk to him, but I'm not letting you out of my sight. Understand?"

My brows knit. "What do you think Jacob's going to do? Kidnap me?"

"I just need to know you're safe. The last time I left you alone with him, he kissed you, and you broke your hand." He gave me a pleading look. "Please."

It didn't matter to me. I was going to talk to Jacob no matter who watched. Someone could broadcast it on Pay-Per-View for all I cared.

"All right."

I ran outside, as if I was afraid he would disappear, only to see Jacob sitting on the curb with his face buried in his hands. I stood there for a moment, trying to collect myself. On one hand, I was pissed as hell and wanted nothing more than to tell him what a lying, pathetic skeeze I thought he was, while on the other, I actually felt _guilty_ that he was sitting outside my door doubled over in obvious pain.

I laughed out loud at the realization, causing Edward to look over at me curiously. I shook my head and gave his hand a small squeeze before I walked over to Jacob.

I crossed my arms over my chest and took a deep breath. "You have got a_ lot_ of explaining to do."

The image of Ricky Ricardo popped into my mind, and I nearly laughed with how stupid I sounded.

He looked up at me remorsefully. "I know." It was so quiet, I almost didn't hear it.

I waited for him to continue.

"Just so you know, even though it may be warped and one-sided, I _do_ love you, and I'm sorry you broke your hand. I deserved it." He gave me a rueful smile. "You pack a hell of a punch, Bella."

"Thanks," I said stiffly.

"Sit down? This might take awhile."

I slowly sat down, making sure there was plenty of space between us.

"I guess I'll start with when I realized I loved you. It was the day you got your acceptance letter to UW. I still had one more year of school left at the reservation, and you were leaving me. I guess it didn't hit me until that day. You opened up that letter and squealed with excitement, and I swear, it felt like my heart had been clawed to shreds. I went home and actually cried, Bells." I looked at him in disbelief. Jacob Black did _not_ cry. "I went to bed knowing I loved you. I'd loved you all along; I just didn't realize it. I was just a kid. I didn't know what love was--at least not until then.

"I should have told you. I wanted to the day you moved into your dorm room. Remember?"

I thought back to that day, back to Jacob's behavior. I knew there was something wrong with him, but I assumed he was feeling the same way I was. I was worried that our relationship would change, that we would grow apart. I was scared to be away from him and knew I'd miss him like crazy. His uncharacteristic silence and moodiness suddenly took on a whole new meaning.

I nodded and Jake let out his breath loudly. "I chickened out. After a while, it felt like our relationship started to change. You were happy with your new life and friends, and I was completely miserable without you. I started making excuses to call you and visit, finding ways to keep myself in your life as much as I could. You never seemed to mind. You were always happy to see me, so I couldn't help but think that maybe--just maybe--you loved me, too.

"And then, I fucked it up. I went up to see you, _knowing_ you had a date with that Mike guy, and pretended like I'd forgotten. You cancelled on him like I figured you would and spent the weekend with me. It was so easy, so every time some idiot wanted to take you out or expressed interest, I casually talked them out of it. I felt guilty every single time, Bella, but I couldn't seem to stop myself. You have no idea how many guys thought you were hot over the years. I really am sorry."

I could feel the angry tears building again, now that he was finally admitting everything to me. "What about your birthday?" I asked between clenched teeth.

"Ah." He frowned before continuing. "Okay. Here goes. Angela dropped us off at my house after taking Quil and Embry home."

I nodded in agreement; I remembered this.

"We got to my room and laid down. You started talking to me, like you always did, and somehow our conversation veered to sex."

*~*

_"Why haven't I found someone that wants me, Jake?" Bella pouted._

_"There are plenty of guys that want you," Jacob responded._

_Bella snorted. "Yeah. Okay, Jake. Name one."_

_Jacob sat up, the alcohol taking away his fears and inhibitions, and looked down at Bella. She was so beautiful, so perfect. There would never be another person who could make Jacob feel the way Bella did. _

_He brushed the hair away from her face and took a deep breath. "Me."_

_Her eyes widened in surprise, her jaw slacked with shock. After a moment of intense staring, her face broke out into a wide smile. _

_"You want me?" she asked, still smiling and pulling her lip between her teeth._

_He nodded. "Of course I do. I love you, Bella."_

_She reached up and pulled Jacob's lips down to hers, slipping her tongue into his mouth. Jacob pulled back in shock._

_"Bella? What are you doing?" he asked, breathing heavily._

_"I thought you wanted me," she slurred. Her brow creased and her bottom lip jutted out._

_"I do. But Bella, are... are you sure?"_

_She giggled, drunkenly. "Of course I'm sure, silly. I love you. Who better to finally do this with? Make love to me, Jacob. Please?"_

_Lost in the alcoholic fog, Jacob didn't process the sentences as he would have normally. If he would have been sober, he would have heard the intonation of her voice when she said 'I love you', making it mean nothing like his own. He would have known the meaning behind her plea was nothing more than to calm her fears, her insecurities. He would have known she wouldn't have wanted it this way._

_Jacob leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to Bella's lips, hesitantly parting her lips and sliding his tongue against hers. She gripped him tightly, hugging him to her body and kissing him back deeply, moaning as he unconsciously roamed his hands over her body._

_Jacob's drunken mind rejoiced, thinking that Bella wanted him just as much as he wanted her, while he carelessly led them down the path that would change their lives forever._

_*~*_

I wiped the tear that fell down my cheek. "That's really what happened?"

It seemed so simple, so _like_ us. I was always so insecure, and Jacob was always the one to try to make me feel better about myself. I was tired of being the only twenty-one year old virgin I knew, and had considered getting drunk and just getting it over with plenty of times, but I could never follow through with it. I wasn't necessarily saving myself for marriage, but I was saving myself for that right moment when I wouldn't regret it like so many others did.

He nodded sadly. "Bella, I'm so sorry. I was drunk and didn't realize how much I screwed up until the next morning. When you didn't remember, I freaked out. I should have told you, but I didn't know how. I told you, I _couldn't._ You thought nothing happened, so I just went with it until I could figure out how to tell you, and then we found out you were pregnant and time just seemed to pass me by. I tried to justify it by telling myself that it didn't matter anymore, that too much time had passed, but I knew it wasn't true. I've lived with the guilt for six years. I knew that by telling you, I could ruin any chance I might have had with you, but I couldn't keep it in any longer.

"Bella, I meant what I said. I don't regret it. I regret how it happened, but I could never regret _it_. I remember how great you felt under me, how you tasted." I cringed. I didn't want the details. "I'm sorry. It didn't mean the same thing to you, I shouldn't have said that." He pressed his palms against his forehead, squeezing his eyes. "I've had six years to think about this. No matter how it happened, I can't regret it. My son wouldn't be here if I hadn't have screwed up that night."

That last part nearly sent me over the edge. I'd listened to his explanation without a word, but hearing him say he had six years to think about this while he denied me the same privilege, made my vision turn red. I closed my eyes and tried to compose myself. I was obviously still angry at Jacob for lying to me, but he was being so honest, I needed to try to stay calm and keep this civilized. If for no other reason than to keep me from breaking my other hand.

"If you loved me as much as you claim you do, why did you date? How could you be with someone else when you supposedly loved me?"

"I was trying to keep my feelings hidden from you," he explained. "And trying to convince myself that I didn't _really_ love you. But no one could come close to you. No one made me feel the way you do."

I nodded, disregarding the last part. "I'm glad you told me. But Jacob?" He looked at me expectantly. "I don't know how to forgive you for keeping this from me for so long. I don't know if I want to. You lied to me," I swallowed hard, "and took advantage of our friendship. You led me around like a puppet, and I blindly let you. I can't go back to that." I looked over at Edward, who was pacing over by my door. "Not now."

Jacob's eyes followed my gaze. "Yeah. I get that. You've got Cullen now," he said sullenly.

"I love him, Jake."

"Yeah." His voice broke.

I ignored the pang of guilt that pierced my side. It was his own fault. "Listen, we need to talk about Eli."

His eyes flashed with fear as he quickly turned his body towards me. "You're not going to try to take him away from me, are you?"

"No." His whole body relaxed. "But I want you to know, Edward and I talked about it."

I heard the growl rumble in his chest. "What the hell, Bella?"

"Edward wanted to make sure I knew my options," I said honestly. "In case you did something stupid or if things between us got bad. He wanted to make sure our son was safe." I paused, trying to make sure I said this correctly. "Jake, I want to iron out some sort of custody agreement between us."

"What? Why?"

"I want to make sure that you can't just take off again when things get tough. That you're not going to disappear from his life. And honestly, I need you to support him." He opened his mouth to speak, but I plowed on. "Not just buying him the occasional toy or pair of shoes. He's going to start school in a couple of weeks, and I need to know that you'll help me pay for it. I need to know you'll help me take care of things if he falls and breaks his arm, if he needs braces, or when he goes off to college. This is going to sound harsh, but the dream has died Jacob. You can't go on pretending we're one big happy family, and that I just haven't realized it yet."

He nodded, yet his brows furrowed. "Yeah. You're right. I guess it seems pretty stupid that we haven't done this yet."

"Yep." I looked back over at Edward again. "Now, I have a very impatient boyfriend to get back to. Can you come back by tomorrow? You can get Eli if you want. I've got some papers I need you to sign for kindergarten anyway."

I stood up and waited for him to follow suit. "Bells?" I looked up at him and took a step back, causing the crease between his brows to deepen. "We're never going to be the same again, are we?"

"No. We're not. Jacob, you honestly can't expect me to forgive you so easily, if at all, can you?"

He kicked at the sidewalk. "Guess not," he muttered.

"I'll see you tomorrow. Call me when you're on your way."

Jacob raised his arm like he was going to wrap it around me then dropped it abruptly, like he'd just been burned.

"See ya."

* * *

**Edward**

I waited just outside the door to Bella's townhouse, watching her with Jake intently. I couldn't help but pace as I waited for her to come back to me. I didn't like her being so close to him, but I knew I had to let it go. There was no escaping Jacob Black. At least, not if I wanted to continue dating Bella.

Finally, _finally_, she stood up and said a few words to him before walking back to me. She walked the distance between us halfway, and I started towards her, crushing her in my arms as soon as I reached her.

"Are you all right, a ghrá?" The worry that weighed me down was slowly fading.

"I'm fine." She chuckled softly. "Are you all right?"

"No. I practically had an anxiety attack over here."

She moved her hands over my back in soothing circles. "I'm sorry. I know you were worried about me."

"I just hate the thought of him anywhere near you after everything he's put you through," I admitted.

"I know you don't like him, and I appreciate that you don't make my life any harder than it has to be." She raised up on her toes and kissed me. "Thank you."

I led her inside and sat down on the couch with her. "Did you get answers?"

She nodded. "I did. And a lot of apologies that I didn't accept. I don't know if I want to."

"Good. I mean, I'm glad you got answers. Not the apology part. I couldn't give a shit about that."

Jacob could apologize to Bella every day for the rest of his life, and it still wouldn't be enough in my eyes.

She shook her head and smiled. "Want to know what he said?"

I nodded furiously.

I listened quietly as she told me everything. When she was finished, I asked the one question that had been on my mind the whole time.

"Do you believe him?"

She pursed her lips. "I think so. It makes sense, I guess. Even though I wanted it to be special, there was always a part of me that just wanted to get it over with. It would have been easy with Jacob under the right circumstances." She looked like she was lost in thought, so I kept silent.

We turned on the TV and snuggled into the couch for a while, laughing occasionally at the show.

She took a deep breath and broke our silence. "I'm going to contact a lawyer tomorrow about getting a custody agreement arranged with Jacob, and then I want to try to get past it and get back to normal."

"I think that's a great idea."

She raised her brows and looked at me hopefully. "You do?"

I nodded. "I think it would be good for Eli to have some sort of set schedule with his father. Not to mention the fact that I think he needs to help you out a little more, and if you two can agree to something out of court, even better."

She smiled. "Thanks." She waved her hands out in front of her and creased her brow. "Okay, I don't want to think about it anymore."

"No?" I asked.

"No. I'd like to just be able to forget it ever happened for a while."

I grinned deviously and scooted myself closer to her. "I think I can do something about that." I'd been thinking about being inside her all day. I couldn't wait any longer.

She giggled as I ran my fingers up her side. "Oh, really?"

"Um-hm." I parted her lips with mine and wrapped my arm around her waist. "Is this helping?" I murmured against her lips.

"No," she breathed.

"Hmm." I gently laid her down and hovered over her while I placed open mouthed kisses along her neck. "How about now?" I whispered in her ear. "Still remember?"

I bit down on her earlobe and heard her sharp intake of breath. "Uh-huh"

"Damn. Guess I'm just going to have to get creative then." I ground my hips into hers, listening to her moan with the friction. "Fuck, baby. I think you just made me even harder."

I pressed my dick against her again and assaulted her mouth with mine, taking her lip in between my teeth and pulling gently.

My hand cupped the back of her neck, bringing her face closer to mine, as I kissed her feverishly. I slid my hand up to her jaw and gently pushed her neck back, exposing the hollow at the base of her throat. I licked it once, before bringing my mouth to it and sucking on it hard.

She gasped, and I felt her hips slightly push up. "Edward Cullen, did you just give me a hickey?" she panted.

"Maybe." I looked down as I reached for the hem of her shirt and smiled at my work. "Definitely." I placed a soft kiss on the darkening bruise.

I quickly took off her shirt, followed by her bra, and took her nipple into my mouth while I kneaded her other breast in my palm. I flicked her nipple and blew on it, causing her to shiver.

Her hands made their way under my shirt and she ran her hands along my chest and stomach.

She tugged on my t-shirt. "Off," she demanded.

I helped her remove the offending shirt and brought my body to hers, feeling her pert nipples on my skin. I kissed her again once, then moved my mouth to the other side of her neck, letting my teeth graze down the line of her shoulder while I worked on unbuttoning her jeans.

As soon as I had them unzipped, I moved my hand under her panties and worked my way down her slick flesh with my fingers. I plunged my fingers inside her while simultaneously biting down on her shoulder.

"Oh, God! What are you doing to me?"

_Marking you. You're mine. Jacob will never lay his hands on you again._

I moved my fingers in and out of her and grazed her clit with my thumb. I licked her shoulder where I bit down before answering her.

"I'm making you forget." I kissed her. "Is it working?"

I plunged my tongue into her mouth before she could answer. I traced circles on her clit and felt her hips buck up to meet my fingers.

She moaned. "Yes. God, yes." She was breathless, writhing underneath me.

I curled my fingers inward and massaged her g-spot while my thumb added even more pressure to her clit; she cried out as she climaxed at my hand.

I pulled my hand out from between her legs and brought my fingers to my mouth and sucked on them. Bella's eyes widened as she watched in astonishment, making me chuckle slightly. She'd get used to it eventually.

"You taste so good," I said pulling off her jeans.

I stood up and quickly took of my jeans, releasing my now painful erection. She reached up and stroked it, causing a low hiss to escape from between my teeth.

I gently grabbed her wrist in my hand and pulled her hand away. "I want to be inside you, a ghrá. Now."

I sat down on the couch, pulling her onto my lap. She straddled me and slid down on me, making my head fall back as a low moan escaped my throat.

She pushed herself up and let herself fall back down on me while I sat there and watched where our bodies connected. I brought my face to hers and kissed her before pushing her gently back.

"Lay back, Bella," I instructed, holding on to her hips while she laid down on my lap, her head dangling by my knees.

Once she was in position, I pulled her hips in to mine slowly, making sure it was okay. I heard her moan softly and smiled as I watched her body take me in again. It was the most erotic fucking thing I'd ever seen in my life.

"Ugh, Edward," she groaned.

I pushed her back and pulled her body onto me forcefully with a grunt. "Fuck, Bella." The visual combined with the amazing feel of her body around me was going to make me come soon.

I moved my hand so that I could flick her clit with my fingers and felt her tighten up around me. She held on tightly to my calves and her legs pushed against the couch, guiding her body, while I held on to her. A few more times of this, and I heard my name escape her lips as her body convulsed around me, making me come with her.

I pulled her back up to me and kissed her breathlessly. "You're all sweaty," she giggled.

"Yep," I panted. "That was hard work." I gave her a crooked grin. "But it was worth it."

"We should probably refrain from doing that unless we're alone." She glanced at the stairs. "I'd hate to wake Eli up doing that."

"Agreed." I gently slapped her ass as she got off me.

We raced up the stairs and shut the door to her bedroom. She started to walk over to her dresser, but I grabbed her arm and turned her around.

"I'm not done with you yet," I told her, closing the distance between us.

"Oh? And what did else did you have in mind?" She cocked her eyebrow at me.

I backed her up to the bed. "More." _Always more._


	14. Chapter 14

**Thanks for the reviews! The lemon is hypothetical...I have no idea if you can actually do it there or not. It just sounded good :D**

* * *

Chapter 14

**Bella**

"Momma! Momma! Let's go!" Eli tugged at my shirt.

I braced myself and put the phone to my ear. "Just a minute, baby. I've got to make a phone call."

He looked up and glared at me.

"Why don't you go see if everyone's here yet?"

"Fine." He stalked off towards the door.

"I'll hurry, I promise!" I called after him.

All of Edward's family had taken the day off so that they could go with us to Shedd Aquarium. Eli was dying to see the whales and sharks and couldn't get out the door fast enough. I, on the other hand, was busy trying to get a hold of the lawyer Edward had spoken to two weeks ago.

I finally got through after spending twenty minutes on hold and now had a meeting scheduled with Mr. Jenks at one tomorrow to tell him what I wanted in the agreement and to get an idea of what type of custody I was seeking, since I was so clueless.

I had no idea going into this that there were so many decisions to make. It made me feel so naive.

Edward's arms wrapped around my waist and he kissed the back of my neck. "Get everything taken care of?"

"No. I had no idea what I was talking about!" I felt his silent laughter against my back. "Don't laugh at me Edward Cullen; it's not funny!"

He turned me around so that I was facing him. "It is. A little." He chuckled some more. "So what's the next step?"

"I have a meeting scheduled with him tomorrow at one. Think Esme can watch Eli for a couple of hours?"

"I'm sure she'd love to." He placed a chaste kiss on my lips. "Everyone's here. Are you ready to go?"

"Yeah."

He grinned widely. "Thank God. Because if Eli asked me if we were ready to go yet one more time, I think I might scream."

We got to the aquarium, and I had to hold the back of Eli's shirt to keep him from running away from us. Emmett saw my dilemma and scooped him up and sat him on his shoulders.

I relaxed. "Thanks, Em."

"No problem, Baby Bird. Someone's gotta control your little monster."

"Hey! I'm not a monster!" Eli protested.

"Oh, no?" Emmett turned his neck so that he could see Eli. "Then why does your hair stick up everywhere? And why do you have these pointy ears and tentacles for arms? And why do you stink so bad?"

He giggled. "I don't stink!"

"That's it. Cullen?!" Emmett called.

Edward turned around and looked at Emmett curiously. "Yeah?"

"We need a doctor's opinion here. Eli says he's not a monster, which he clearly is, judging by the pointy ears, crazy hair, and tentacles for arms. And that's all I can see. There's no telling what he's hiding underneath that shirt. He might have eyes on his stomach or something. Not to mention the smell."

"I have to agree with Emmett on this one. You definitely stink. In fact, if they let you in, I think we should throw you in the tank with the dolphins so you can get a bath. It's hard to hide the fact that you're a monster when you stink so bad."

He giggled again. "You're not throwing me in with the dolphins!"

"Oh, yes I am!"

"Edward!" Eli fisted his hands on his hips even though he was on Emmett's shoulders.

"Fine. I won't throw you in, but I can't speak for Emmett."

Emmett laughed like an evil villain. "I'll throw you in one of the tanks before the day is over!"

"I'll make sure you get in the tank with the dolphins, not the sharks. I really don't want to have to clean up the mess." Edward shuddered. "Yuck, Eli guts."

They continued like this while we bought our tickets and went over to the Caribbean Reef Exhibit. Eli screamed and yelled every time he saw one of the characters from _Finding Nemo_. He swore the sea turtle's name was Crush, and I spent ten minutes telling him the turtle's name was in fact Nickel, not Crush. Eventually, I convinced him that it wasn't Crush when I reminded him that Crush lived at Disney World in Florida.

_Crisis averted..._

We went over to the Oceans area, and Eli continued to squeal about Nemo and Dory. I finally had to put my hand over his mouth and tell him that as exciting as it was, I needed him to quiet down, because people were beginning to get annoyed.

The group broke up, and we started to walk through the smaller exhibits. Eli took off with Carlisle and Esme, leaving me alone with Edward. We got to the moon jellies and stopped.

Edward's hand slid down my stomach, and I felt his hot breath on my ear. "It's awfully dark in here."

I straightened up. "No."

His other hand pulled the collar of my shirt down, and he skimmed his nose down my neck, kissing the hickey I had to cover up this morning. "No?"

I shivered as his hands moved under my shirt, gently grazing my stomach. "It's not _that_ dark in here."

He spun me around and pushed me against the wall in the corner. I couldn't see anything anymore.

"Bella, I can't even see you, and I'm close enough to you to taste you." He demonstrated, running his tongue across my lips. A moan escaped my lips and my eyes snapped open.

"You're going to have to be extra quiet." His hands moved down my hips to the insides of my thighs. "Think you can do that for me, a ghrá?"

"Ummm." I didn't answer. I wasn't sure I could. He was so tense and seductive; I felt like his hapless prey.

His hands were inching closer and closer to where I needed him to touch me. "You've been driving me crazy in this skirt all day."

He plunged his tongue in my mouth, and my traitor hands wrapped around his neck. I fisted my good hand in his hair and pulled his face back.

"I had to wear a skirt so I didn't burn up in this shirt. _Someone_ decided to give me a hickey last night," I panted.

He chuckled. "And I'm so glad I did. It makes this much easier."

He kissed me again and ran his hand up my thigh. He pulled my panties out of the way and slid his finger down me before pushing it inside me.

"Edward," I breathed.

He slipped another finger inside me and twisted them around before pulling them back out. I could hear him fumbling with his belt for a moment before he picked me up and thrust into me roughly, causing me to gasp.

"This is going to be hard, and it's going to be quick," he rasped against my mouth.

He pulled back and slammed back into me, sending intense jolts of pleasure racing through my body. I wanted to scream out, so I bit down on my lip hard, tasting blood. I held on to him tightly as he continued to thrust into me, grinding his hips against mine. I could hear our skin slapping each time he did, and I managed to still be in the frame of mind to open my eyes and look behind us. There was no one there-yet.

"Edward, we're making too much noise," I moaned softly in his ear.

"I don't give a fuck," he growled back.

He continued to ram into me while he kissed me deeply. He shifted me slightly, and I wrapped my legs tighter around his waist. I could feel myself getting closer and closer with each of his movements.

"I'm going to come," I whispered.

He grunted. "Good."

He grabbed my hips in his hands and brutally pulled me down on him, over and over. As I fell over the edge, I bit down on his shoulder while my whole body convulsed with the intensity.

"Fuck," he groaned.

He crushed me against the wall as he came hard, pulsing inside me.

"You bit me," he said breathlessly.

"Sorry," I mumbled against his shoulder. "I was going to scream if I didn't."

_Payback for last night,_ I thought smugly.

He held me against the wall while we struggled to catch our breath quietly. I could feel Edward's heart pounding fiercely against me, and the heat from his body rolled off him in waves.

I moved my face back to his and kissed him softly. "You've done all the work the last few times. I think you deserve a break next time."

He laughed and put me down. "What did you have in mind?"

One of my brows furrowed. "I don't know." I hated not having as much experience as he did. I wasn't sure how to be creative without looking like a moron. "But I'm sure I'll think of something."

We straightened ourselves out before we walked out of the exhibit--and ran right into Alice and Jasper. Jasper took one look at us and his eyes bugged out.

"What have you two been doing?" he asked, trying not to laugh.

"Nothing." I felt my face flame up.

Edward just shrugged.

"Um, Bella?" Alice reached up and ran her fingers through my hair before handing me some chapstick. "You might want to use this. Your lips are swollen, and it looks like the bottom one's been split?" She then reached down and twisted my black skirt back around so that it was properly on my body. I'd somehow missed the fact that it was crooked in my post-coital haze.

My face got even hotter, if it was possible. "Please don't say anything."

Jasper held out his fist to Edward. "Nice!"

Edward bumped fists with Jasper, trying not to smile and failing miserably.

I could feel the tears irrationally building in my eyes from embarrassment. Edward's smile faltered, and he pulled me into his arms, hugging me tightly against his chest.

"I'm sorry. Are you all right?"

"Yeah," I sniffled.

"Bella, we won't say anything." I looked over at Alice. "Frankly, we could care less."

"Yeah. Don't be embarrassed. We've done shit like that before, too." Jasper gave me a small smile.

I nodded my head and took a deep breath. Edward looked like he wanted to hang himself. I wanted nothing more than to snap my fingers and make that guilty look of his miraculously disappear.

"Hey. It's okay. Really. I just expected to have a few minutes afterwards so it wouldn't be so noticeable and instead ran into Alice and Jasper immediately after. It just caught me off guard."

"I shouldn't have done that. I don't know why-"

I cut him off, pulling him down and kissing him. "I want to do it again, baby," I whispered in his ear.

His eyebrows shot up, and he got a wicked glint in his eye. He nodded but kept quiet. I couldn't help but wonder what was going on in that head of his.

We went over to the Amazon exhibit and found the rest of our group. While Eli was watching the piranhas, Alice and Rose came up to talk to me.

"So..." I looked at Rosalie. "I hear Jacob came over yesterday."

"Yep," I said shortly.

She looked down at my lip. "What the hell happened?"

My hand flew up and covered my mouth. "Um, I fell and bit my lip?"

She looked at me for a while before smirking. "If you insist. So did you guys get everything figured out?"

"As much as I could, I guess." I sat down on one of the benches.

"What do you mean?"

I waited until she and Alice were both sitting down before I began. "Well, considering I don't remember it, I have to take his word for it. Not that I don't believe him. I do, but there's this voice in the back of my head that is screaming at me to take it with a grain of salt, you know?" They both nodded. "Anyway, I told him I wanted a custody agreement and child support."

"No shit?" Alice asked.

"No shit. I don't want to pretend everything's hunky-dory with us when it's not." I shrugged. "And I can't risk him disappearing or not taking care of Eli like he should, just because I don't love him back. Not without consequences, anyway. I _will not_ let Jacob's and my issues affect Eli."

Rosalie put her arm around my shoulders and leaned over towards me. "Remember how I told you I thought you were a great mother?" I nodded. "Even more so now."

I blushed. "Thanks."

We saw a few of the other areas and then went over to the Oceanarium. Edward seemed to get more and more impatient as we went through some of the exhibits, looking at the sea lions, beluga whales, and sea otters. I had no idea what was wrong. Maybe he was bored?

When we got to the dolphin tank, there were two people standing there, smiling at us as we approached them.

"Carmen!" Emmett boomed, walking over and giving the beautifully exotic woman a hug.

"Emmett." She pulled back and smiled at him. "It's nice to see you again. And you too, Rosalie."

Rosalie gave her a quick hug and went to watch the dolphins through the glass.

Edward walked over to Eli and me and took our hands, leading us to where this Carmen person stood.

"Carmen? This is my Bella and her son, Eli." He looked back at me. "Bella, this is Carmen and her partner Eleazar. They train the dolphins here. I went to med school with Carmen before she decided to take her Biology degree and do something else with it."

I looked at the beautiful woman. She did _not_ look like she belonged in the military. More like the pages of Vogue.

"Hi, it's nice to meet you." I had no idea why he was introducing us to them.

"I told Carmen we'd be here today, so she set up a little surprise for Eli."

Now I knew why he was so impatient.

Eli's ears perked up, and he beamed at Edward. "What kind of surprise?"

"How would you like to pet the dolphins, Eli?" Carmen asked.

"Really?" Eli jumped up and down in excitement.

She grinned at him. "Really."

"See, I told you I'd get you in the tank with the dolphins, Stinky." Edward looked at Eli smugly.

Eli's mouth hung open for a moment before his face broke out into a wide smile. "Can I go now?"

"Of course," Carmen replied.

Eli got a wetsuit and a lifejacket on and waded out into the tank with Carmen and Eleazar. Eli held out a fish and threw it into the dolphins open mouth, laughing loudly. I saw the flash of a camera out of the corner of my eye and glanced over to see Esme and Carlisle taking pictures.

"I'll make sure you get copies, Bella." Esme looked over at me and smiled.

"Thanks, Esme. I can't believe I forgot mine."

"It's no problem. These are going to be great." She snapped a picture of Eli rubbing the dolphin's nose.

I watched Carmen kneel down and help Eli with the hand signal to make the dolphins jump out of the water. I couldn't quite figure out Edward's relationship with her. He'd never mentioned her before, and I was pretty sure the names of his serious girlfriends had been Kate, Jane, and Lauren.

As if reading my mind, Edward came over and hugged me against his side. "Carmen was my partner in one of my anatomy classes at USUHS. We kept in touch after she left school and moved back to Chicago. I called her yesterday, and told her I was bringing you and Eli here, because I wanted to show the two of you off. She asked me if he'd like to meet the dolphins. I figured it'd be a hit with him, so she planned to be here and surprise him."

"Do you talk to her a lot?"

"No. Yesterday was the first time I'd spoken to her in two years, I guess."

I was grateful. I didn't think I could compete with someone so gorgeous.

As soon as that kernel of jealousy formed in my mind, I immediately bashed myself for it. Edward was good and honest, and we loved each other. There was no competition with anyone from his past, present, or future. I'd won the moment our eyes met on the dance floor at Willy's.

"Thank you for doing this." I turned back to Eli, who waved and gave me a huge smile. "He absolutely loves it."

"You're welcome, but I didn't do it. I just told Carmen I thought he'd love it." He laughed at Eli when he slipped and landed on his butt getting out. "Just so you know, there was never anything between us."

I blushed. "Was I that obvious?"

He turned so that he was facing me and placed a quick kiss on the end of my nose. "No, but I know you." He stared at me for a moment. "There will never be anyone else, as long as you'll have me."

"Then I guess you're stuck with me forever," I joked.

His face broke out into a bright smile. "Exactly what I had in mind." We started to walk over towards the locker room. "Listen, I was wondering. When is your lease up?"

I froze. "What?"

He rolled his eyes. "When is your lease up?" he repeated.

"November. I only signed a six month lease in case I hated it here and wanted to go back to Forks. Why?"

He shrugged. "Just curious. Hey, I was thinking about us taking a camping trip sometime next month when it cools down a little. Think Eli would like that?"

He changed the subject so casually, I had to struggle to get my thoughts in order. "Um, yeah. I think so."

"I'll talk to my family and see what weekend is best for them once you and Jacob come to some sort of an agreement regarding Eli."

I just nodded. I wasn't sure I could say anymore. What was this about my lease being up? Was he wanting me to move in with him? I couldn't figure out what he meant. We'd only been dating for six weeks. When November rolled around, we would be dating for five months. Could I really move in with someone after only five months?

I looked into Edward's piercing green eyes and knew the answer.

"Edward, I-"

"Fuck!" he hissed.

He spun around and ducked into the locker room where Eli was, disappearing behind the door.

I looked around and saw nothing out of the ordinary, just a few people finding seats in the bleachers to see the next show. Edward's family had already gone back out to the entrance. I was left standing alone.

_What the hell?_

* * *

**Edward**

Fucking shit.

Fuck, fuck, fuck!

_What the hell is she doing here?_

I'd been trying to get an idea of what Bella thought about living with me. I didn't expect her lease to be up so soon, but I was actually pretty happy about it. Bella of course reacted the way I figured she would, so I quickly changed the subject and decided to come back to it later. I wasn't going anywhere--there was plenty of time to talk to her about it in the future.

I was pretty sure she was going to say something else about it, but just as she started to speak, I glanced behind her and saw Jane Ryan, standing in the bleachers--staring at me so intensely--I almost expected to burst into flames.

And now I was hiding in the bathroom like a little girl.

I hadn't seen her in years. After I broke up with her, she went completely nuts. She broke into my room and destroyed our room; she ripped the beds into shreds, dumped paint on the floor, and wrote all kinds of shit on the bathroom mirror and walls. Not in lipstick. Oh no, that would have been too _normal_. She wrote it in permanent marker.

I think I may have pictures of it somewhere.

She called me every day for weeks, to the point to where no one else could leave a voice mail since my box was consistently filled with messages from her. She showed up at parties and events that I went to, watching me from the other side of the room while I tried to ignore her creepiness. One night, I tried to go out with Jordan Rogers, a girl in one of my chem classes. Jane had been watching us the entire night, and when it came to the end of the date and I kissed her, she ran across the field and pulled us apart, claiming she was pregnant with my baby.

At that moment, I had never been more relieved to not own a pet. I'm sure if I had a bunny, I would have found it in a pot of boiling water. If I had a horse, I'm sure it's head would have been in my bed, because needless to say, the bitch was fucking psychotic.

I made her go to the doctor and get a pregnancy test, which of course came back negative. When the test results came back she attacked me with a scalpel, stabbing me in between my ribs and dragging the knife across my skin where the tattoo of my family crest is. I picked that spot to cover the large four inch scar that was there. Once I got stitched up, I drove straight over to the police station to press charges and file a restraining order against her.

I dropped the charges with the agreement that she get some psychiatric help but kept the restraining order in place. I wanted the threat of legal ramifications there in case she came near me again. She backed off and left me alone, but I still changed my number and got as far away from her as I could when I graduated.

I was paranoid all through med school, wondering when she would show up again, and when I found out that they were looking for Devil Docs the year I graduated, I didn't hesitate to volunteer. Not only was I doing something I loved, but I was going to be on the other side of the world--far away from Jane--doing it.

"Hey, Edward!"

I jumped and looked back at Eli. "Hey." He gave me a funny look. "Sorry. You scared me there, buddy. Did you have fun?"

"Yeah! It was awesome! Carmen said I can come back anytime I want!"

"She did? That's great!" I looked back at the door. "Hey, wait here for a sec, Eli."

I took the few steps to the door and slowly opened it, peering out carefully. Bella had her back to me with her arms crossed over her chest and her foot tapping the floor impatiently.

_Shit._

I looked around and saw no sign of Jane. Maybe I was imagining things. Maybe _I_ was crazy. I thought it was her. Same short brown hair, big brown doe eyes, angelic face.

Yeah, definitely her.

I ran my hand through my hair. "Okay. Let's go get your mom."

We walked over to Bella and Eli started talking rapidly about Carmen and Eleazar and the dolphins. After he was finished, we started out of the stadium.

"What the hell was that?" Bella hissed under her breath.

"I'm sorry. I had to get out of here." I looked around me. The last thing I needed was psycho Jane seeing me with Bella and Eli. "We need to leave. _Now._"

"Why? Eli hasn't even gotten to play over at the Polar Play Zone!"

I stopped her and put my hands on her arms. "Bella. You have to trust me. Please."

She stared at me for a moment. "Fine. Will you just explain what is going on?"

"When we get home," I promised.

We found my family, and I quietly explained to Carlisle why we needed to leave. We quickly made our way to our cars, and I couldn't help but look over my shoulder the entire time. I couldn't escape the feeling of being watched. I couldn't see the crazy bitch anywhere, but I learned a long time ago that she was fucking sneaky.

I got Bella and Eli safely in my house and rushed through every room, checking windows and doors to make sure they were locked. Bella said nothing, just sent Eli to his "room" to play. We had made the guest room into Eli's room, buying him Spiderman bedding and bringing some of his toys from Bella's over.

I sat on the couch and cradled my face in my hands. My thoughts now were of keeping Bella and Eli safe. I prayed that Jane was just an immature nineteen-year-old who made a whole slew of mistakes with me, but I didn't know. The last thing I wanted to do was put the people I held most dear to me in danger.

Bella sat down next to me and rubbed circles on my back with her hand, resting her head on my shoulder.

"I saw Jane," I croaked.

"Okay?" she asked slowly. "So you saw your ex. I don't get it."

"She's fucking crazy, Bella. I still have a restraining order against her."

I looked over to see her mouth open. She quickly shut it and stared at me. "Why?"

I explained everything to her. "I know it was her, Bella. She was staring at me like she wanted to kill me. And she saw me with you. I don't know how long she was there, but there's no questioning our relationship. I can't keep my hands off you. If I put you or Eli in danger, I'll never be able to live with myself."

"Hey, hey." She took my face in her hands. "We'll be fine. I'm sure there's nothing to worry about. You know how you are. You tend to overreact about things. Maybe she still hates you, but she's an adult now, and you said she got help. She doesn't know where you live, where you work, what kind of car you drive, and she certainly doesn't know anything about me. You'll probably never see her again."

I kissed her gently. "You're right. Thank you."

She moved her hands to my shirt and pulled it up. I watched her as she ran her fingers across the scar that was hidden beneath the ink.

"I can't believe I never noticed this before. I'm so sorry," she whispered.

I took her hands in mine. "Don't be. How about we go start dinner?" Her eyebrows shot up, so I laughed.

"Okay, let me rephrase that. You start dinner. I'll chop whatever you need and be your extra hand."

She kissed me quickly. "Okay."


	15. Chapter 15

**Thanks for the reviews! **

**For those of you who wanted Edward back on the bike, here it is...with a lemon following **

Chapter 15

Bella

I looked down at my phone and frowned. _Charlie._

"Hey."

"You didn't call yesterday, Bells," he said tersely.

"Yeah, I know. Sorry about that. We took Eli to Shedd Aquarium yesterday and we were gone longer than I thought." I'd actually completely forgotten to call him with the whole Jane issue going on.

"Who's we? You went with Jacob?"

_Shit._ "No. Um, I went with my boyfriend, Edward Cullen, and his family."

"Boyfriend?" I could hear Charlie's low growl of disapproval. "Why is this the first I've heard of it?"

"Maybe because you wouldn't be happy for me?"

He sighed. "It's not that I'm not happy for you, Bella. I just don't think it's wise to be bringing strange men around Eli, that's all."

I sat there with my mouth open for a second. "Are you joking? Please, tell me you're joking. Edward is the first guy I've brought around Eli _ever_! And for your information, Eli loves Edward! And Edward is fantastic with him!" I looked around me, making sure I wasn't going to be overheard. "I know you've always thought Jake and I should be together but you can't honestly tell me you think that now. Not after everything he did to me!"

"Well, no..."

I closed my eyes and counted to ten. "Do you still want to hear my side of the story, Dad? Or have you and Billy gossiped enough to get you own ideas?"

"Of course I want your side of the story! But you don't seem all that inclined to talk to me about it."

I groaned inwardly. "Sorry."

I couldn't understand why our relationship always had to be so strained. All I wanted was just a simple father/daughter relationship like everyone else I knew. Instead, I got this.

"Bella?"

I shook my head. "I pretty much told you everything the other day. I was extremely drunk that night and blacked out. Jacob says that I asked him to do it and told him I loved him. His drunk ass interpreted that to mean I actually was _in_ love with him. He apparently freaked out the next morning when I didn't remember it." I could hear Charlie getting ready to interrupt but I kept going. "He never gave me a really good reason as to why he pushed everyone away, just that he did. On top of that, he told me he loved me in the middle of Edward's brother's party and kissed me against my will. So now, I've lost my best friend, my boyfriend and said best friend are at each other's throats, and I have a broken hand. Anything else? Oh, I've got to meet with a lawyer later today and figure out some sort of custody agreement to give Jake so that he doesn't up and disappear on my son again like he did for the last two weeks."

I took a deep breath and sat on my bed.

"I'm confused. If Jake is _in_ love with you, why is it when you two went on that date after you found out you were pregnant did he say it was like going out with one of his sisters?"

I barked out a laugh. "I have no idea. Self-preservation, I guess? It doesn't really matter though, does it?."

"I guess not." We were silent for a few seconds. "You have a broken hand? What did you do, fall?"

"No. I punched Jake." I scowled at my cast.

He laughed. "You punched Jake?" He laughed some more. "Well, can't say he didn't deserve it."

"What?"

"It sounds to me like he deserved it." He was silent for a minute. "Look, I know I've always pushed Jake on you and I'm sorry. If I'd had any idea he was doing this, I'd have kicked him out of your life long ago. I thought it would be better for Eli if his parents were together. And you and Jake had such an easy relationship, I didn't see what the problem was."

"Huh." I didn't know what to say. "Thanks, I guess."

"This custody agreement. Are you going to try to get full custody of Eli?"

"No. I just want something in writing and child support. I've been doing some thinking and Chicago is a lot more expensive than Forks and I could use the help. I've let him go this long without paying anything but I can't afford it anymore. I also thought maybe it would help him realize he has no shot in hell with me."

"Bella." He paused. "Bella, honey, I'm sorry you had to go through this."

"Thanks," I muttered uncomfortably.

He cleared his throat. It was something he did when he was nervous. "This boyfriend..."

"Yeah, Dad?" Here comes the interrogation.

"How old is he?"

"Thirty," I answered.

"Thirty! And he's still single!" He scoffed.

"Dad..." I warned.

"Sorry. So, what does he do?"

"Well, he's done a few things actually. He went to Annapolis."

He cut me off. "He was in the Navy?"

"Yes. After that, he went to USHUS and graduated from med school, specializing in general surgery. He then volunteered to be a Devil Doc with the Marines and spent the last three years in Iraq. He just came back home in February." I rattled everything off quickly.

"Really? Wow. Well, um...that's great. Is he uh, good looking?"

I laughed to myself. "Yes, Dad. He's tall and muscular and has very pretty green eyes, and this coppery-brown hair. Oh, but you might not like the tattoos."

"How many?" he asked cautiously.

"Six."

He just grunted. "Does he treat you well?"

"Very," I sighed.

"I want to meet him."

"I figured you would," I responded.

I heard his gruff chuckle on the other end. "I'll see about taking some vacation time to come and see you guys. Is that all right?"

"Of course, Dad."

******************************

I got home from my meeting with Mr. Jenks to find Edward helping Eli get his stuff ready to go to Jacob's. Jacob had called last night and said something came up and he couldn't get Eli until today.

"Hey!" Edward grinned at me while folding up Eli's pajamas. "How did it go?"

"It went good. He's going to get everything ready for Jake to sign this week" I went over and hugged him. "You didn't have to do this."

"I know. But Eli wanted to get his stuff together and I didn't know how much longer you'd be." He ran his fingers through my hair. "You know how he is."

I nodded. "Relentless."

He chuckled. "That he is. Must get it from his mother."

"Ha ha." I looked around. "Speaking of mothers, where's yours?"

Esme had watched Eli for me while I went to Mr. Jenks' office.

"She went home. She said to tell you Eli was an angel and that she'd like to meet you for lunch one day next week when you have the time. So you're supposed to give her a call."

"Okay. Hey, I talked to my dad this morning. He wants to meet you."

He raised his eyebrows. "Is that so?" He zipped Eli's bag up. "Finally told him about me, did you?"

I rolled my eyes. "Yes. He's going to take some vacation time and visit for a few days." I took a deep breath. "Soon."

I was chewing on my lip. He reached over and rubbed his thumb across my mouth, pulling my lip out from between my teeth. "I want to meet him too, Bella."

I bounced lightly on my toes and grinned. "Yeah?"

He chuckled. "Yeah."

We played with Eli for a while until Jacob came to pick him up. It could have been extremely awkward, but Edward went upstairs while Jacob was here and avoided him completely.

I got Eli out the door with Jacob just as the phone rang. I answered it, happy to hear it was Angela on the other end. We talked for a while about the wedding and things back in Washington before the conversation veered towards Edward.

She let me gush about him for twenty minutes, only offering the occasional 'Uh-huh' and 'Aw' when necessary. It was one of the things I loved about her. She never pushed for information, just let it come naturally.

"He sounds amazing, Bells."

I grinned. "He really is."

We promised to talk to each other soon and even kicked around the idea of Angela making a trip out to Chicago in a couple of months to see us, and to also meet Edward.

I hung up the phone and went upstairs to find Edward sitting on my bed.

"Sorry about that. As soon as Jacob was leaving with Eli, Angela called."

He looked up at me and grinned crookedly. "It's fine. So, we're all alone?" I nodded. "Now what?"

I laughed. We very rarely had any time to ourselves, which made me realize how completely wonderful Edward was to me. I had no experience, but I knew most guys wouldn't put up with it.

"I don't know. Got any ideas?"

"One," he said slyly. "I was thinking we could run back to my place and take the bike out tonight."

"Okay," I said immediately.

Just the thought of getting back on the bike with him made my body tingle in anticipation. What was even better was that I could finally act on all that sexual energy that raced through me when I rode with him the first time.

"You agreed awfully quick there, baby."

I shrugged. "We haven't gotten to ride it since your birthday and I know how much you like it."

No need for him to know what I was _really_ thinking. A girl's got to have some secrets.

******************************

Edward

I prolonged the ride for as long as possible, unwilling to do anything that would cause Bella to unwrap her arms around my waist. I pointed out anything and everything, even promising myself I would take her to a Cubs game before the season was over. Or maybe a Bears game. It didn't matter.

Every second we were on my bike, I grew impossibly harder with the feel of her body against mine. She would occasionally run her fingers over my stomach and graze under the waistband of my boxers, driving me insane with need for her. At one point, she pressed her breasts against my back and ground her hips into me as she shifted on the seat, causing a low growl to rumble in my chest.

By the time we got back to my house, I craved her.

She quickly got off the bike and took her helmet off, running her fingers through her long hair while she waited on me. I painfully got off, trying to be discreet while I adjusted myself. The last thing I wanted to do was scare her from getting back on the bike with me. It was pure torture to feel her against me and not be able to do anything about it, but it was a form of torture I was willing to endure any day of the week.

As I walked over to her, I could feel the electricity pulsing in the air between us. I put my hand on her hip and watched her face flush and her breathing speed up. She licked her lips as she stared at mine and I nearly ripped her clothes of right then and there. As it was, there was no way I was going to make it to the bedroom.

I crushed my mouth against hers, kissing her hard as I moved my lips with hers. I moved my tongue with hers and grabbed her ass before lifting her up and moving towards my car. I laid her down on the hood and ran my hand over her breast, kneading it in my palm before tugging on her nipple through the fabric of her shirt.

I pushed my hardness into her and felt her gasp against my lips. She pulled away breathlessly and I moved down her neck, trailing kisses to her earlobe before sucking on it gently.

"Wait, wait, wait," she breathed.

"What?" I panted. It was usually a general rule that once I started, she didn't stop me.

"I want to try something." I looked at her inquisitively. "Please?"

I swallowed and took a deep breath. "Okay."

I pushed off her and waited for her to do whatever it was she was thinking of. She closed her eyes and breathed in and out slowly for a moment. I watched the blush spread across her cheeks and couldn't stop myself from running the back of my fingers across it.

She opened her eyes and looked at me. "Trade spots with me."

I did as instructed and watched her eye the bulge in my pants while she bit her lip. It was an ongoing struggle to keep my feet rooted in place and not fuck the hell out of her.

"Bella, what are you doing?" The suspense was killing me.

"I'm sorry. I've never done this before so you'll have to be patient with me. I'm trying to build up my confidence, so to speak." She looked at me apologetically before taking off her shirt.

I watched, mesmerized, as she removed the rest of her clothes. She stood there before me, completely naked, fidgeting nervously with her fingers.

I wanted to take away some of her fear. "You are so beautiful, a ghrá." I moved off the hood of the car and ran my fingers down her side until I got to her hipbone. "I love every part of your body." I trailed the one stretch mark she had from being pregnant with Eli with my index finger. "You are perfect."

She gave me the most adoring look I have ever seen and stood up on her tip toes to kiss me. Her hands went to the buttons on my shirt as we kissed, fumbling with them as she made her way down before pushing the shirt off my shoulders and backing me up to the car.

Her hands moved to my jeans and before I knew it, she had pushed them down to my ankles.

She broke away from the kiss and moved her mouth down my body, kissing down my neck to my chest where she swirled her tongue over my nipple. I felt my hips buck up and she smiled against me as she made her way down my stomach.

_She wasn't..._

She got to my waist and ran her fingers down the indents of my hip bones and then took my dick in her hands. She got down on her knees and looked up at me wickedly, stroking me slowly.

_She was._

I had thought about that beautiful, hot mouth wrapping itself around me since the moment I laid eyes on her.

She licked the tip once and pulled back, making a slight hiss escape my mouth when I felt the cool air hit it. Then she took me in her mouth and moved down my shaft, sucking as she came back up.

"Oh...Fuck," I groaned loudly. It was even better than I thought it would be.

She continued to move her mouth up and down, using her hand to stroke the part of me that didn't fit in her mouth. I felt the tip hit the back of her throat and I threw my head back, groaning as I held on to the curve of the hood.

I grunted. "Damnit, Bella."

She hummed and moved her hand to my balls, cupping them before she gently massaged them. I could feel my orgasm building and needed to give her some sort of warning in case she didn't want me to shoot everything into her mouth. I looked down to see her mouth on me and couldn't hold on any longer.

"Bella. Move. I'm coming. Now," I warned between clenched teeth.

I expected her to pull her mouth away, but she never did. Instead, she grazed her teeth against my shaft, pushing me over the edge. My whole body tightened up as I came hard into her mouth.

She swallowed every drop of it and slowly stood up. She smiled at me and wiped her mouth on the back of her hand.

"I guess that was okay?"

I grabbed her and threw her face down on the hood of my car, running one hand over her ass while the other one was fisted in her hair.

I leaned down to her ear. "It was the most incredible thing I have ever experienced in my life. Next to this." I moved my hand from her ass and trailed my fingers up her slit. "Jesus. You're so wet. Did you like making me come?"

She whimpered and nodded slightly. I moved myself to her entrance and swiftly thrust into her, watching her ass jiggle when I was all the way in. I pulled out and pushed back into her, harder, making her groan.

I ran my hand up her back while I continued to slam in to her. My eyes never left her ass until I leaned down and ran my tongue up her spine. She moaned and I watched her eyes flutter closed as I thrust into her again.

I kept my body against hers while I continued to pound her. I felt her body tightening up around me and I moved my mouth to her ear, licking the hollow just behind it.

"Say my name," I growled.

"Ugh."

"Say." Thrust. "My." Thrust. "Name." I rammed my dick into her as hard as I could, making the car rock slightly.

"Edward," she moaned.

"Louder," I grunted.

She was so tight around me it was only a matter of seconds before she would come. I wanted to hear her scream my name when she did.

She didn't disappoint. Just as her walls began to ripple around me, I heard my name being screamed against the hood of my car.

I came with her, letting out a guttural moan, and collapsed onto her.

"Bella," I panted.

We laid there for a while, catching our breath and letting our bodies cool off, before going into the house and taking a shower. I managed to fuck her again against the wall, getting the edge of her cast wet. The damn thing was always in the way.

She seemed to be healing up quickly, so I decided that it wouldn't hurt to take it off a few days early and give her a brace for it instead. This would help mobilize her hand a little more and maybe she could get back to work earlier than anticipated. I know she hated sitting at home, unable to do the things she loved the most.

"I'll take it off tomorrow," I mumbled around my toothbrush, pointing to the cast.

She spit her toothpaste into the sink. "Seriously?!"

I chuckled. "Seriously. But you have to promise to wear the brace I give you at all times until it's a little stronger.

"I'll do anything to get this thing off!"

She bounced around happily before wrapping her hands around my neck and giving me a quick kiss on the cheek. I rolled my eyes but was secretly thrilled to see that smile across her face.

After I finished brushing my teeth, I went to the computer and checked my e-mail. There were a few from some of the doctors at work and an e-mail with no subject from an unknown sender. I clicked to open it, fidgeting with a pencil while I waited for the message to load.

As soon as the image in the e-mail popped onto the screen, I broke the pencil in my hand and felt my eyes widen in shock.

My teeth snapped together audibly as I scrolled down. I could feel the fury building in my body, pounding through my veins and making my vision blurry. I blinked the feeling away and took loud breaths to calm myself as I studied the pictures again.

There, in my own garage, were photos of me fucking Bella on the hood of my car just a couple of hours ago with a message at the bottom.

_I see you._

I clicked the program closed and went to get up. As soon as I turned in the chair, I saw Bella standing there, watching me fearfully. I had no idea what I'd looked like as I read the e-mail, but could only imagine the ferocity of my face when I did.

"Hey," I said shortly.

"Are-," she swallowed," are you all right?"

"Fine. Just an e-mail from some fucking idiot at work. Are you ready for bed?"

I could feel her eyes on me but didn't look away from the monitor.

"Yeah."

I nodded and got up walking past her as I made my way into the bedroom. I laid down and waited for her to turn off the light, listening to my pulse thud loudly in my ears.

She quietly laid down and turned away from me. I turned off the lamp and laid there with my fingers pinching the bridge of my nose as I struggled to calm down.

Once I was calm, I moved over to Bella's side and pulled her in my arms, curling my body up around hers.

"I'm sorry," I whispered.

"It's okay. Are you sure you're all right?"

I sighed. "I will be." I kissed the back of her neck. "Goodnight, my love."

"Night, baby."

She snuggled up against me and I breathed in her amazing scent, feeling my mouth pool with saliva as I did. I closed my eyes and knew right then, that there was no way I would let Jane hurt Bella or Eli. I would protect them with everything I had.

I heard Bella's breathing slow and knew she had fallen asleep. She shifted slightly in my arms and mumbled something before a smile spread across her face.

"Edward," she breathed.

I leaned up and watched in fascination as she continued to dream about me. I knew Bella talked in her sleep, but I'd never gotten to witness it firsthand. I was usually so exhausted from sex, I passed out as soon as my head hit the pillow.

She moaned and shifted again and I smiled, thinking that maybe she was dreaming of me making love to her.

"I love you," she murmured.

I pressed my lips to her shoulder and hugged her against me as I closed my eyes and willed myself to sleep. There was only one thing I was sure of as I drifted off.

I needed to talk to Emmett.

******************************

_Pow!_

I quickly reloaded and aimed at the target again, unloading the gun rapidly with a satisfying series of loud pops.

I punched the button and watched the target come towards me as I ripped the headset off. I examined the series of shots I sent to the heart and brain.

"Nice shooting, bro."

I turned around to see Emmett smirking at me.

"Thanks."

"You sure you weren't trained to be a sniper or something? You never miss."

I looked back at the two large holes in the paper. "No. Just good, I guess."

"Ha." He watched me put the gun back in its case. "Well, I'm here. What did you want to talk to me about."

"In the car," I said curtly.

I grabbed my bag and walked out to the Volvo.

"What the fuck is your problem? Are you pissed at me for something?"

I rolled my eyes. "Jesus. Of course not."

I opened the door and motioned for him to get in before I sat down in the driver's seat. The car shifted as he sat down in the seat beside me.

"Okay. So, what's going on?"

"If I show you this, you cannot under any circumstances tell Bella about it. Or give her any indication that you know more about our sex life than you do now." I watched him steadily.

"I know nothing of your sex life now except the fact that you two fuck like bunnies." I just stared at him. "All right. What is it you want to show me?"

I grabbed the copy of the e-mail I'd printed out and handed it to him.

He looked down at it and squeezed his eyes shut. "My eyes! Jesus fuck, Cullen! I'm gonna go blind with this shit!" He laughed loudly.

"Be serious," I retorted.

He continued to laugh but looked at it again. "Okay. Why are you showing me your and Beauty's homemade porn?"

"You think I would be showing you this if _I _made it?" I pointed to the bottom of the picture. "Read, asshole."

His brow creased and I watched his boyish grin turn menacing. "What the fuck?" His eyes snapped up to mine. "Jane?"

"Who else?" I took the paper back from him and laid my head on the steering wheel.

"Does Bella know?" I shook my head. "You need to tell her."

"I will." I slightly turned my head towards him. "Eventually. Once I figure out if it's worth freaking her out or not."

He nodded. "You think she's fucking with you?"

"I _hope_ she's fucking with me. If it's something more serious, I don't know what I'm going to do. It's not just me anymore."

He nodded. "You should file a report."

"What good is that going to do? They didn't take me seriously the last time."

"They should now." He paused. "She's got a history of violence and psychotic behavior towards you. If they don't take you seriously, they're fucking in the wrong line of work."

I exhaled sharply but stayed silent. I wasn't sure it would be worth it to get the police involved. They did nothing to help me the last time, merely told me that I should be able to handle a little girl like Jane. It wasn't until she fucking stabbed me that anyone took me seriously.

"Listen, I'll talk to the captain. See what we can do. In the meantime, just keep a look out and don't let this affect your relationship with Bella." He looked at me seriously. "In other words, don't become a tyrant. If she wants to go out with other people, let her. Just make sure she doesn't go anywhere alone. You're not going to be able to watch her twenty-four-seven and if you plan on keeping this from her, like I know you will, she's going to know something's up when you follow her to the bathroom."

"Thanks, Em. Let me know when you talk to him."

"Sure thing, bro." He put his hand on the handle and stopped. "I love you, man."

I smiled. "Love you. Now get out. I've got to get home to Bella and see if she's okay before I have a panic attack."

He got out of the car and walked back into the shooting range. As soon as he was through the door, I pulled out of the lot and raced back home.

I pulled in the garage, immediately shutting the car off and running in the house. I found Bella in the living room, watching TV.

"Where did you run off to so early this morning?" She looked up at me and smiled broadly.

I could feel the panic rising to the surface at the thought of any other scenario than this one.

I swallowed it down and sat beside her, wrapping my arm around her. "I went to the shooting range. I haven't been in a while and didn't want to get rusty."

"Oh. So, what do you want to do today?"

I nuzzled her neck. "I promised I'd take your cast off, remember?"

"Yes. I do. Can we go now?" She looked at me pleadingly.

I chuckled. "Yes."


	16. Chapter 16

**I have to let DesperateRomantic, LondonGoth, and skyeblue0610 know that those were the best reviews I have EVER gotten!! Skye--I laughed out loud with yours, getting a very strange look from my husband when I did :)**

**Pronounciations/translations for some words are:**

**Mamó: Mahmoh (Irish Gaelic for Granny)**

**Mam: Mahm (Irish Gaelic for Mom)**

**Daideo: Dad-jo (Irish Gaelic for Grandad)**

**Claddagh: klad-aKH (think of pronouncing the gh as a ch like in Loch)**

**Anyways...here it is, and it gets lemony of course **

* * *

Chapter 16

**Edward**

"Grandpa Carlisle!" Eli barreled through the door and straight into my dad's arms.

"Well, hello! What brings you two here?"

"We're gonna go swimming while Momma and Grandma Esme are eating lunch!" Eli responded.

Carlisle put him down and looked him over. "Where are your swimming trunks?"

"In Edward's bag!" he giggled.

"Oh. I see. So how was your first week of school?"

Eli had started school on Monday and came home to Bella talking about all of his new friends. He could make friends in a matter of seconds. I'd never seen anything like it.

"It was awesome! There's this boy in my class, Brayden, and we're going to be best friends!" His face was lit up with excitement.

"That's wonderful! I'm glad you like it, Eli," Carlisle said sincerely.

"Yep!" Eli turned around and came over to me. "Can I have my swim trunks, please?"

"Sure." I put the bag down and pulled his trunks out of it. "You have to wait for us though." I looked at him sternly.

"Kay!" He took off towards the bathroom.

"What I wouldn't give to have that much energy again," Carlisle chuckled.

"You're doing pretty well for your age, old man," I teased. He glared at me. "Oh, come on. You keep up with us just fine."

"I guess I'm doing all right," he agreed.

"Damn right you are." I adjusted the cuffs on my wrist. "Listen, I've got to meet Emmett over at the station in a little while, could I leave Eli here with you for say... oh, about an hour?"

"Of course you can. I'd be happy to watch him."

"Thanks." I ran my hand through my hair. "I need to get something from you before I go."

"What's that?" He looked at me curiously.

"Um, Mamó's Claddagh," I told him nervously.

"You want her Claddagh? Are... are you going to propose?" Carlisle stammered uncharacteristically.

Bella's birthday was in less than a month, and I had racked my brain with things I could buy her. She hated it when I spent money on her, but I wanted to give her something that showed her how much she meant to me. I could think of nothing better than to give her the same Claddagh ring that my grandfather gave my grandmother.

"I'm not sure yet. Bella's birthday is next month and I wanted to give her something special without spending a lot of money on her, because she'd just get pissed if I did." I exhaled sharply. "I suppose I'll just give her the damn thing and explain all the meanings behind it and we can go from there."

Claddagh rings have many meanings depending on the way they were worn. The two that I had been warring with were that if I put it on her right hand and turned it inwards, towards her heart, it meant her heart was "captured" and was a promise ring of sorts. If I put it on her left hand and turned it outward, it meant we were engaged.

_Engaged._

Damn it, I loved the way that sounded. Too bad I had no idea how she would react to me proposing to her after only three months.

"But you plan to marry her, don't you?" he asked cautiously.

"Yeah. I do." I grinned. I couldn't help it.

He smiled back and nodded. "It's upstairs in the safe. Come on, I'll get it for you."

I told Eli where I was going and followed my father upstairs to his office. I looked at all the family photos on the shelf and stopped at the one of my grandparents on their wedding day. My grandfather was one of the Black Irish, with pale skin, raven hair, and cobalt eyes--just like Emmett and Alice. My grandmother was fair-haired with light blue eyes, exactly like Carlisle. I'd managed to get my unruly bronze hair and green eyes from Esme's side of the family, who were also of Irish decent.

He opened the safe, pulling the black velvet box out and handed it to me.

"I honestly have no idea why Mam hated Esme so." He gazed at the photo.

"Because you were her only child and no one was good enough for you," I answered.

He looked at me in surprise. "Is that why? And here I thought it was something more complex," he chuckled.

"Nope. That was the only reason she hated Mom. Although, I think after a while she secretly loved her."

He sighed. "I hope you're right. Esme tried for years to get her to like her with no luck. And _everyone_ loves your mother."

"I think Mamó did, too. And we _know_ Daideo did." My grandfather loved Esme like a daughter.

He chuckled again. "Yes, he did."

I opened the box and looked down at the white gold ring nestled inside. It was a typical Claddagh, with the two hands clasping the crowned heart, but my grandfather instructed the jeweler to make the heart made out of my grandmother's birthstone, an emerald. He had spent three-hundred dollars on it--an unheard of amount for a Claddagh back then.

"It's perfect," I said to myself.

Carlisle clasped my shoulder. "Congratulations, son."

I laughed. "She has to say yes first, Dad."

He met my eyes with his. "She will."

* * *

I left Eli with my father in the pool and drove to the police station, my mind running though a million things on the way there.

I hadn't seen Jane since that day at the aquarium over two weeks ago. There were no more e-mails, no strange phone calls, and no unknown cars following us around. Maybe Bella was right and I overreacted. It wouldn't be the first time. Jane could have sent the pictures to me to mess with my head. She did have a bit of a warped sense of humor.

Emmett had called earlier in the week to say he finally had a chance to speak to Captain Bennett about the situation and was encouraged to get me to file a report, stating that the threat fell under the state's cyberstalking laws. He also handed Emmett a list of things I could do to keep us a little safer. I'd read the joke of a list and threw it in the trash. I already did almost everything on that list. There were no new ideas there.

After a few days of internal debate, trying to decide if Jane was just insane or an actual threat, I finally decided the best thing to do would be to file a report, if nothing more than to have the incident on file in case something else were to happen in the future.

And I was going to tell Bella.

She knew something was going on, but never asked questions. I was on the verge of a nervous breakdown after the e-mail, snapping at Bella for no reason and constantly looking over my shoulder for any sign of Jane. I never let Eli and her out of my sight unless I was at the hospital, and then I had Emmett and Rosalie make excuses to stay with her until I was back home.

Not only was I consumed by my fear of Jane coming after Bella or Eli, but I was so fucking angry with myself for hiding the situation from Bella. I wasn't sure how she would react when I did finally tell her, and the thought of losing her over my complete and total stupidity was almost unbearable.

This week had been worse than the last. On Monday, Bella was scheduled to go back to work at the restaurant and Eli started school. I spent the entire day obsessing, afraid that something would happen to them while I was away. It was to the point that I had to have one of the other surgeons take my cases because I couldn't concentrate on the hand I held in front of me, much less cutting into someone's body. It took me until Thursday to be able to perform a simple appendectomy without my hands shaking uncontrollably.

I stopped thinking about it as I pulled into the parking lot. I walked to the building and found Emmett waiting at the door.

"You're doing the right thing, bro."

I ran my hand through my hair. "Thanks."

We got to the metal detectors, and I emptied my pockets and took off my shoes, putting everything in the bin and sending it through the x-ray machine.

I walked through and went to retrieve my stuff, only to find Emmett holding the Claddagh in his hand and eyeing it questioningly.

"Isn't this Mamó's?" he asked, holding the ring in between his huge fingers.

"Yeah. I got it from Dad this morning." I stuffed my wallet back in my pocket. "I'm giving it to Bella for her birthday next month."

"You're shitting me."

I rolled my eyes. "No, Em, I'm not in fact _shitting_ you."

"You gonna propose?" He put the ring back in the box and waited for my answer.

"Haven't decided. Don't you think she'd think I was jumping the gun a little by proposing after only three months?"

His brows knit while he thought my convoluted sentence over. "No. When you know, you know."

I took the ring back from him and put it in my pocket. "Yeah, well, I don't want to do anything to freak her out and push her away." I had enough riding on tonight when I told her about the e-mail.

"You really love Bella, don't you." I looked over at him as we walked, furrowing my brows. "I know I give you shit about it but you _really_ love her."

I nodded. "You know how when we were younger, I was always playing certain pieces on the piano that I identified with more than others?"

"Yeah. There was this one when you came back from Annapolis one year that I thought you would never stop playing. I wanted to rip your fucking arms off."

I laughed. "Funny you should mention that, actually." I stopped and reached down for my pants.

Emmett looked around wildly. "Dude! What the fuck are you doing?"

I shook my head. "Just look, dumbass."

I revealed the tattoo of _Fur Elise_ to him. He looked at it curiously for a moment before his eyes lit up in recognition.

"You got that fucking song tattooed on you! Damn, you must've loved it."

I covered it back up and we started walking again. "Yep. You know, they say Beethoven wrote it while suffering from a broken heart."

"Oh, yeah?"

"I don't know why, but I connected to it. I'd been on countless dates and been in a couple serious relationships when I started playing it, but nothing really clicked, you know?"

He grinned. "Yeah. I know."

I smiled back. "Of course you do. You have Rosalie. So anyway, after I broke up with Lauren I just kind of figured that I would never meet anyone that I connected with on that level. I was twenty-six. I was pretty sure it just wasn't going to happen. And so I got the tattoo. I thought maybe there was something wrong with me. Like maybe I wasn't going to find _her_. And I was okay with that. I'd never needed it before, so I didn't worry about it. I was happy with my life. I was happy to be able to go out and do whatever I felt like, whenever I felt like it. I didn't need sex-"

"No, cause you were fucking with Tanya."

I laughed. "Yeah. That was probably pretty fucking stupid," I admitted. "But then I found her, Em. And I didn't know it, but there was some part of me missing that Bella completed."

"I'm pretty sure our little Beauty feels the same way. So you need to quit trying to give yourself a heart attack and relax. If you want to ask her to marry you, you should do it. Don't be such a patsy."

"Yeah," I laughed. "You're right." We got to Captain Bennett's office and Emmett knocked.

"Come in!" he called, behind the door.

"You know, every other word from you wasn't a curse word just now." I mentioned as we walked through the door.

"Well, I figure if I've gotta be somebody's uncle, I probably shouldn't curse as much. I'm trying, but it's fucking hard."

I laughed quietly. "Yeah. It is. Thanks."

* * *

**Bella**

"I'm so sorry I'm late!" I called to Esme as I approached the table she was sitting at.

She waved me off. "It's fine, dear." She looked me over. "You look a little frazzled."

I blew my hair out of my face in exasperation. I had been all over O'Hare airport, trying to find Jacob so that he could sign the custody agreement, only to find out he had gone home early with the stomach flu.

I had gotten the papers back from Mr. Jenks that would give Jacob and me joint physical custody of Eli, with me being the primary. I learned that it meant I had the final say on decisions regarding Eli's schooling, health, and other major issues and felt that since he was going to be living with me most days of the year, I should have the right to make the decision if Jacob and I couldn't agree.

Mr. Jenks tried to convince me to file for back support, but I adamantly refused. I'd had enough drama with Jacob and didn't want to cause myself any unnecessary grief. Besides, it would have felt like I was making him pay me for all those years of friendship, a thought that made my stomach churn in disgust.

"Yeah. A little. I spent an hour at the airport trying to hunt down Jacob so that he could sign the custody agreement, only to find out he went home sick."

Her mouth turned into a frown. "Oh, I'm sorry. I hope he's all right, though."

"He'll be okay. I called him before I got here and he said it was just some twenty-four hour bug he picked up. I'll have him sign them in a couple days when he comes to get Eli."

Esme and I ordered and chatted happily while we waited for the server to bring our food to us. Just as I went to take my first bite of the salad that I'd ordered, Tanya walked over to our table.

"Esme! Hi! How are you?" She smiled widely at Esme.

"I'm doing just fine, dear. How are you?" Esme got up from her seat and gave her a small hug.

"I'm good." Tanya turned to me. "Hello, Bella. Still dating Cullen, I see."

I didn't know what to say to that, so I merely nodded.

It wasn't that I didn't like Tanya, I did. But I found her extremely intimidating. Edward had fooled around or slept with her on and off for over thirteen years. Every time he broke up with someone or was on leave for a few weeks, he always came back to her which meant she must have been doing something right. I couldn't help but feel inferior next to her.

"Bella and Edward have been exclusive for, what, two months now?" Esme looked at me expectantly.

"Just over." I smiled at Esme sweetly.

Tanya smiled at us. "I didn't know. Edward never calls me anymore."

"Well, I would hope not." I laughed uncomfortably, getting a peculiar look from Esme.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't mean it like that! Of course he hasn't! I meant, he usually calls every now and then to see how my family is doing and I haven't heard from him since his birthday."

"I'm sure he's just been busy, Tanya. And when he's not, he spends most of his time with Bella and her son," Esme replied.

Tanya nodded and looked back at a slender brunette waiting for her at the door. "Well, I'd better get going. It was nice to see you girls. Tell Cullen to give me a call sometime!"

"Okay. See ya."

Esme and I watched Tanya leave before turning back to our food.

"Bella, hon? What was that all about?" Esme asked, taking a sip of her water.

"Um, your son and Tanya messed around a lot..." I trailed off awkwardly, looking anywhere but at Esme.

"You mean to tell me Edward's had sex with that girl?"

I nodded, too uncomfortable to speak.

Esme sat there for a moment before speaking. "Bella, look at me. I'm not angry. Especially not at you." I looked back at her and saw her smiling at me. "I do, however, think my son was a complete moron for doing that. He could have gotten her pregnant! Then what? Knowing Edward, he would have felt obligated to marry her and would have spent the rest of his life miserable. I like Tanya, but I certainly wouldn't want her for a daughter-in-law." She reached over and put her hand on mine. "Not when I could have you, instead."

I felt my eyes tear up. "Thanks," I mumbled, wiping my eyes.

"You know, I'm positive you and Edward were meant to be together. So I hope you can see me as a mother to you someday."

My eyes got blurry with tears again. "Really?" She nodded. "I'd like that."

She smiled warmly at me and took her hand off mine. "Well, how about we finish up and go see what the boys are up to?"

"All right."

* * *

I followed Esme to her house and parked behind her in the driveway before walking around back to the pool.

Edward was treading water in the deep end, waiting for Eli to jump off the diving board. Eli saw me and beamed at me.

"Momma! Grandma Esme! Watch me!"

Eli took off towards Edward, jumping off the diving board and straight into Edward's arms. Edward let him go under, watching him carefully as he kicked his way back up to the surface before grabbing a hold of him and swimming with him to the shallow end.

"That was great, baby!" I said enthusiastically.

Edward and Eli got out and came over to us. Edward leaned down and pressed his lips against mine, dripping water all over me.

"How was your day?" His piercing green eyes ran across my face.

"It was good until just now, when you got me soaked." I giggled at him.

He looked at me with one eyebrow raised. "You think that was getting you wet?" He shook his head. "I don't think so," he said playfully.

I heard Esme mention something to Eli about a snack and watched them disappear out of the corner of my eye, but never took my eyes from Edward's.

"Don't even think about it," I warned.

His eyes flashed with mischief and he gave me an impish grin. "No?" I shook my head and backed away from him. "Too bad."

I took off running but was no more than ten feet from where I started when his long arms wrapped around me and threw me over his shoulder.

I squealed and pounded against his back as he ran us back to the pool and jumped in, letting me go as soon as we hit the water.

I came up, sputtering, and wiped the hair off my face. I opened my eyes to see him grinning wickedly at me.

"You dick!" I screeched, laughing loudly as I splashed water on his face.

He shook it off him and opened his eyes. "Now you're wet," he said, grinning crookedly.

I started to swim away from him but he grabbed me and pulled me against his chest.

"Where do you think you're going?" he asked, his eyes darkening as he looked at my lips.

"To dry off?" I asked, biting my lip and waiting for his answer.

His eyes darkened even more, becoming a deep, mossy green. "You think I threw you in here for my health?" He was slowly backing us up towards the wall next to the steps in the shallow end.

"Why did you throw me in?" I asked breathlessly. I could feel the fire of his heated gaze racing through my body.

"I missed you," he murmured, capturing my mouth in his.

My arms tightened around his neck, and I ran my hands through his silky, wet hair as I kissed him back. I fisted it in my hands and tugged gently, earning a moan from him in response.

I felt my back finally hit the wall and his hands ran over my hips before reaching the button of my capris. He gently bit down on my bottom lip, pulling it with his teeth, before he worked his mouth down my jaw and over my neck.

He had my capris undone and was now struggling to get them off my hips. The water had nearly suctioned them to my skin.

"Help me get these fucking things off," he said in frustration.

I laughed lightly and wiggled my hips while he pulled them down my legs, throwing them aside carelessly.

He looked back at the house as he ran his fingers up and down my slit teasingly.

"Mmm, Edward," I moaned.

Apparently satisfied that no one would bother us, he dipped his finger into me and looked back at me, locking his intense stare on mine.

"You're wetter from more than just the water, a ghrá."

He slipped another finger into me, and I closed my eyes and threw my head back, moaning.

"Open your eyes," he snapped. I raised my head and looked back at him. "I want to feel myself getting lost in those beautiful, chocolate-colored eyes of yours."

He moved his hand from in between my legs, causing me to whimper, before I felt his hands moving to my hips and wrapping my legs around him, aligning his dick up to my entrance.

He pushed into me slowly, furrowing his brows in concentration and groaning when he was all the way in me. He pulled completely out of me, pausing for a second, before he thrust back into me, causing a low moan to escape my throat.

He did it again, never breaking eye contact, as he ran his hand up my shirt and under my bra, cupping my breast in his hand and running his thumb across my nipple. The pressure between my legs was almost unbearable. I needed him in me, moving with me.

He started to pull out again, and I pushed my hips against his, not letting him come all the way out this time.

"Please. I need you inside me," I said, gasping.

He thrust into me forcefully, again and again, sloshing water out of the pool each time. He walked us over to the steps and laid me down, pulling me down on him with every step he took.

He lifted my hips up so that I was floating while I held on to the ledge of the pool. He drove himself into me, faster and harder each time, making the water ripple with his movements. I could feel myself getting closer and closer and needed desperately to fall off the edge.

Edward watched as I took one hand and moved it down my stomach until I barely brushed my thumb across my clit, making my back arch as a tremor of pleasure rocked through my body. His eyes widened and he slammed into me, growling.

"Fuck, Bella! I'm... coming!" he shouted, shifting me slightly in his hands.

He thrust into me erratically as I ran my fingers over my clit again. I could feel his orgasm pulsing through his dick, shooting hot liquid inside me, and I lost it.

My body shuddered as I came hard around him, causing my vision to blur as the white-hot fire pulsed through me.

"Oh, God, Edward," I moaned breathlessly.

"Mmm, I love you, Bella," he sighed as he pulled me up and kissed me gently.

"I love you," I said back, still panting slightly.

We managed to get my capris back on before getting out and wrapping ourselves in towels. We sat down in the chaise lounge and I relaxed, burying my face in his neck.

"I should probably go make sure Eli's not driving you parents crazy," I said guiltily.

"They're fine. They love spending time with him." He shifted slightly underneath me. "I need to talk to you for a minute anyway."

I sat up and stared down at him. I didn't like the sound of that.

"All right. Talk."

He looked off in the distance and took a deep breath. "A couple of weeks ago when I... um." He cleared his throat. "When we had sex in the garage-"

"Yeah?" _Why was he so nervous?_

"Remember how I was pissed off about something on the computer?" I nodded. I remembered exactly how frightening his face was. "Well, I got an e-mail from an unknown sender."

He reached over and pulled a piece of paper out of his cargo shorts that were on the ground. He held it out to me, and I grudgingly took it from him.

I opened it up and gasped. There were pictures of _me_, naked on the hood of his Volvo, while Edward proceeded to have his way with me. I was so beyond any rational thought, I could only sit there and stare. The longer I stared down at the paper, the more my blood boiled, causing my eyes to fill with my angry tears.

Finally, my brain started functioning again, and I held the picture out to Edward.

"Who? Why?" I choked out.

"I think it was Jane," he said between his teeth.

I looked at his face and saw the same enraged expression I'd seen that night. His eyes were hard, his jaw was tight. His nostrils were flared out and his mouth was set in a hard line. I'd never seen anything so terrifying in my life.

I pushed the fear away. This was Edward.

"Why didn't you tell me!?" I yelled.

"I don't know. I didn't want to scare you away or freak you out! I didn't want to see you cry like you are right now! I wanted to protect you from something I knew would cause you pain!" he cried in anguish.

I pushed the paper against his chest. "This is not going to scare me away, Edward. But you _cannot_ keep shit like this from me! I have a right to know if someone is watching us!" I took a deep breath, struggling to remain calm. "And I'm crying because I'm angry and I'm mortified!"

He brushed the tears away from my eyes and looked at me pleadingly. "I'm sorry. I only wanted to protect you."

"By lying to me like Jacob did? By telling me it was some fucking idiot at work?" I snarled back.

"No. I only told you that because I was too furious to talk about it. I knew I would have taken my anger out on you and it was in no way your fault. I would _never_ lie to you. You know that. Keeping it from you was a mistake. I realize I should have told you from the very beginning, but I didn't and for that I'm sorry."

I sat there silently for a while, staring at the house while my body calmed down.

What kind of sick human being peeped through the window and took pictures of someone having sex? And then e-mailed it to them?

What kind of mind games was she trying to play with us?

"So what do we do now?" I didn't look away from the house.

"I went and filed a report with Emmett this afternoon while you were at lunch with Mom. They've got two detectives working the case, trying to find Jane's whereabouts that night. And they've also traced the IP address from the computer it was sent from and are going to find out who it belongs to."

I nodded but stayed silent.

He gripped my hand tightly with his. "Are we okay? Please tell me we're okay."

He sounded so broken, so desperate, it felt like my heart was trying to split open with the sound.

"Promise me that you'll never keep anything from me again. This," I waved my hands in between us, "this is not going to work if we're not honest with each other."

"I promise." He pulled me against his chest and kissed my hair, "I'll tell you anything and everything, from now on." He pulled my chin up to his face and kissed me fervently. "I don't know what I'd do if I lost you. Thank you." He kissed every part of my face before putting his lips to mine again. "Thank you."

I sighed against him. "We'd better get inside, asshole."

He let me go. "I deserve that. And anything else you can come up with, a ghrá," he said guiltily.

He may have majorly screwed up, but I knew he wouldn't have done it unless he thought it was the right thing to do.

And yes, I was still a little pissed, but I'd get over it. I knew with all my heart he was telling me the truth when he said he would never keep anything from me again.

I looked at him sideways as we walked towards the house. I needed to get him to lighten up. No need in him punishing himself for the rest of the night. I was sure he'd done enough of that for the last few weeks.

"Dickhead, asshat, dumbshit, retard, Fuckward." He chuckled with that one so I continued, naming the good things about him. "Smart, successful, beautiful, sweet, generous, kind, loyal, sexy, good in bed..."

"You'd better watch it unless you want a repeat of the swimming pool." He grabbed my face in his hands and kissed me passionately.

"That actually sounds pretty nice. I hear make-up sex is phenomenal."

His eyes widened slightly before he grinned crookedly. "Then I guess we'd better get Eli and get you back home so I can make it up to you later."

"You've got a lot of making up to do," I teased.

"I will spend the rest of my life making it up to you," he promised.

I rolled my eyes and stopped at the door. "Edward?" He looked at me quizzically. "_That_ was our first fight," I said, reminding him of the words he spoke to me on his birthday.

"Yeah. I guess it was."

* * *

**So I just wrote this last night. Edward wouldn't shut the hell up until I did. Apparently, I needed to include some other things before I got to the chapter that was originally supposed to be chapter 16. As of now, it's been pushed back to chapter 18. We'll see if Edward likes it ;)**


	17. Chapter 17

**FINALLY!!! ITS WORKING!!!!! I had to delete this chapter and reload it so it spit out another email... sorry for all the multiple e-mails! The entire FF site was down :(**

**This chapter is just a little bit of fun to give B & E a break from the angst...**

**Thanks for the reviews!**

* * *

Chapter 17

**Edward**

"Jacob's here," I announced as I went to answer the door.

"You're here early!" Bella called from the kitchen as I opened the door for Jacob.

"Yeah. I tried to call, but you didn't answer. I hope it's not a big deal." He eyed me warily.

Bella came through the doorway and grabbed the custody agreement off the computer desk on her way by.

"Not at all," she said, handing it to him. "Here, I need you to sign these so my lawyer can file them next week."

"Oh, okay." He looked around. "Is there anywhere I can sit down and look at these at?"

"Um, the kitchen, I guess."

Bella and Jacob sat down at the table while I followed under the pretense of getting something to drink. They sat down and started talking about some of the things mentioned in the papers before Bella hopped up and left the room.

"I'm going to make sure Eli has everything packed. I'll be right back!"

I grabbed an apple off the counter and bit into it, watching Jacob. He studied the papers intently until he came to a certain part when his eyes widened a bit. He mumbled something and read the entire page again.

"Something you don't like?" I inquired calmly.

"What's this primary shit?"

_Well, hell._ Bella was nowhere to be seen so I had to answer him.

"It means that anything major in Eli's life that the two of you can't agree on, Bella would get to make the final decision on."

"What?" He sat there, staring at the page for a minute. "No. I don't think so. I have just as much right to make the decisions for Eli as she does."

I watched him steadily. "Bella felt that since she will be taking care of Eli the majority of the time that she should have the right to make those decisions if it came down to it."

"That's bullshit!"

I glanced back towards the living room. "No, what's bullshit is the fact that her lawyer tried to get her to claim back support for the last five years and she refused to do it, yet here you are bitching about something that probably won't even be needed."

"Back support?"

I nodded. "Did you know Bella could have filed to get twenty percent of everything you've made since Eli was born? Do the math Jacob, you're getting off fucking easy."

I assumed he was mentally calculating how much money that was as he stared at the table quietly. After a few minutes, he blanched and picked up the pen and signed on every line without reading another thing.

I couldn't help but do a little jig inside at his reaction.

Bella came back down with Eli and gave Jacob his copy of the papers before walking them out the door.

Once they were gone, I walked over and put my arms around her.

"What did you say?" she asked quietly.

"What?" I was confused.

"What did you say to make him sign so easily? I figured he'd have a problem with the fact that I'll be the primary parent and that I get to claim him on my taxes every year," she clarified.

I laughed heartily. "He didn't even read the part about the taxes," I snickered.

She giggled. "You're kidding?"

I shook my head. "Nope. He started to get shitty about the primary thing but I told him that you could have filed for back support and to do the math. After he figured up that he would have owed you somewhere around forty-thousand dollars, he signed without reading anything else." I laughed again. "It was pretty fucking funny."

She slapped me playfully on the chest. "You shouldn't have said that."

"Well, you weren't going to tell him. Someone had to."

She took a deep breath. "So ready to go get your party on?" she giggled.

"No. I'd much rather stay here with you," I answered.

We each had plans to go out without the other tonight. I was going out with Emmett, Jasper, and James and Bella was going out with Rosalie, Alice, and Jessica. We each realized that with everything going on between Jacob and being peeped at, we had neglected our friends and family over the last couple of months.

Not only that, but we needed a night out to forget about all the drama that had been going on in our lives.

"Me, too," she whispered.

I pulled her chin up so I could see her face. "How about we meet up later? Say, midnight at Willy's?" She nodded. "I'd like to dance with you again," I whispered seductively, trailing kisses down her neck and running my hands down her sides.

She hummed. "Don't start something you can't finish."

"Oh, I'll finish it. I still have a lot of making up to do."

I'd been trying to make up for my monumental fuck up for the last couple of days in any way I could.

"We don't have time right now. You take too long," she said hoarsely.

"I don't seem to be getting any complaints from you." I kissed her softly on the lips before pulling back. "But you're right. I'd better go home and get changed. I'll see you later, okay?" She smiled broadly and nodded. "Be careful. Please."

"I will. You, too."

* * *

"What the fuck, James?! I hate those things!"

James gave me a toothy grin as he carried the tray of Captain Americas over to us.

"I thought since we've got a few military boys in the house we could be a little patriotic tonight." He handed me one. "Now shut the fuck up and drink it, Cullen."

I eyed the red, white, and blue drink cautiously before throwing it back and shuddering. Fucking Smirnoff Ice.

"I've gotta agree with Cullen over there," Emmett said. "Those things are nasty. Don't get any more."

James laughed. "Not a problem."

Jasper took a swig of his beer. "So how are things going with you and Bella?"

I gave him a reserved smile. "Good."

"Don't be shy! Tell him about what you had in your pocket the other day!" Emmett boomed across the table.

"Em," I groaned.

"What?" Jasper looked between the two of us eagerly.

"I went to Mom and Dad's and got my grandmother's Claddagh ring."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa." Jasper waved his hands in front of him. "The one Alice has had her eye on?"

"That would be the one," I told him. "And she can have her eye on it all she wants. Mamó left it to me, not her. And I'm going to give it to Bella on her birthday."

"Are you gonna propose to Belly Bean?" Emmett asked. "You know I think you should. It'd be fucking awesome to have her as my sister!" He smiled evilly.

"No torturing Bella," I warned.

"You're no fun."

"Quit deflecting." I looked at Jasper. "Are you going to propose?"

"I have no idea," I muttered.

"Holy shit! You are!" Jasper gave me a satisfied smile. "I know you, man. You're going to give her that fucking ring and tell her all the stupid ass meanings behind it and stick that sucker on her left hand!"

I laughed and shook my head but said nothing else. I _really_ wanted to propose to her. The ring had been burning a hole in my pocket since I'd gotten it from Carlisle, but I was extremely apprehensive about it. I couldn't stomach her turning me down.

"Well, God damn it!" James yelled. "Now I've gotta find another wingman!"

I rolled my eyes. "James, I was never your wingman." I looked over at him. "Besides! You were the one who was trying to get me to date for almost four fucking months before I met Bella. Any girl with blond hair and big boobs you sent my way, hoping I'd hook up with them!"

"Well, yeah. I wanted to get you laid and I knew you wouldn't do it unless you were in a relationship. I didn't expect you to fall in love and get fucking married on me! Asshole!" He laughed and took a pull of his beer.

"Shut up," I barked.

I left them to discussing my impending proposal and went to grab another beer. I felt a hand wrap around my waist while I was waiting and turned around to see Kate looking up at me.

"Hey, stranger! What are you doing out? You're never out anymore!"

"I'm having a guys night. You're not working?" I asked, hugging her.

"No. Tanya and Irina are working the bar tonight." I nodded. "So Tanya said she saw your girl having lunch with Esme the other day."

"Oh, yeah?" I grabbed my beer from the bartender.

Bella hadn't mentioned it. Of course, after showing her the e-mail and me taking up all her spare time in bed, she hadn't really had much of a chance.

"Yeah. She was kind of sad talking about it." She ran her hands through her long blond hair.

My forehead creased. "Really? Why?"

Kate looked up at me seriously. "She misses you. You were her best friend before you went to Iraq. I think she feels left behind." She paused. "Like she wishes it was her that had found someone instead of you. She hasn't been in a relationship in over two years, you know. I'm sure she'll get over it though." She smiled. "She loves you."

I coughed loudly. "What?" I wasn't prepared for that.

"Not like that, you idiot!" She slapped me upside the head, causing my hat to fall onto the bar.

"Sorry. Scared me there," I said, putting my hat back on. "I feel bad, but I can't help it. I want to spend all the time I can with Bella and Eli." I couldn't help the smile that crossed my face. "Katie, I love her." I opened my mouth to say something else and quickly shut it again.

"What is it?"

I hesitated for a second before finally deciding to tell her. "I'm going to ask her to marry me." I didn't know when, but it was going to happen. "But keep it to yourself, please."

Her face brightened and she smiled. "I guess I should tell you 'Congratulations'!" She hugged me again and looked back toward my table when she pulled away. "Boys are looking restless. I'd better let you get back. I'll see you later!"

"See ya." I waved her off and went back to the table.

"Where to?" James asked. We'd only been her for an hour, but already he was ready to go.

"I don't care. I want to finish the night at Willy's though. I promised Bella I'd meet her there."

James groaned. "Oh, come on! Just one night! That's all I'm asking for!"

I shook my head. "Sorry. I'm sure they'd like to see their girls, too." I pointed at Emmett and Jasper.

Jasper shook his head. "Not me. I live with the girl." I stared at him in surprise, and he laughed. "Kidding, Cullen."

"You boys are fucking whipped," James said, irritated.

"Just wait. One of these days, some girl is going to catch your eye and you'll know exactly how we feel."

* * *

**Bella**

I opened the door and came face to face with Alice. She barged through the door and into the house, not saying one word. I looked at the clock and noticed she was an hour early. I knew what was coming.

"Bella, just so you know, I tried to talk her out of it. I know you hate being made over." Rosalie said as she walked into the living room.

"Thanks."

"Like I'm going to let her leave looking like that!" She motioned to my jeans and navy blue tank top.

"What's wrong with this?" I asked, aggravated. "We're going to a _bar_ for God's sake!"

"Nothing's wrong, exactly. But don't you want Edward to trip over his tongue when he sees you later?"

"Well..."

Images of Edward's jaw dropping and his eyes darkening to that deep, forest-green flooded my mind. Heat flashed through my body, causing my cheeks to redden involuntarily.

"Yeah."

She grinned knowingly. "I thought so."

Alice curled my hair in loose curls, spraying it and letting it fall loosely down my back before parting it to the side and running a French braid on the heavy side of my part, following my hairline, to keep it out of my face.

I was letting her apply some gray eyeliner on when Rosalie came in the bathroom.

"So Emmett and I finally set a date," she announced cheerfully.

"About time," Alice muttered under her breath, getting a glare from Rosalie in return.

"I think that's great, Rose. When did you guys decide to do it?"

"May twenty-second." She paused and walked over to me. "I've already asked Alice to be one of the bridesmaids but, Bella, I'd like you to be in it, too."

I pushed Alice away from my face so that I could look at Rosalie. "Seriously?" She nodded. "I hope you know, I hate dressing up and will not be _any_ help with the planning," I forewarned her.

"I know that." She smirked. "That's why I want you to be in it. I'm going to need a break from the Irish sprite over there." She nodded her head towards Alice.

"Hey!" Alice huffed.

I smiled broadly. "In that case, I'll do it."

* * *

"Okay, okay! Quick while she's stuck in line at the bar!" Jessica exclaimed looking over her shoulder at Alice. "How's the sex?"

My face instantly flamed up, and I looked down at my rum and coke.

"See, I told you she wouldn't want to talk about it," Rosalie said smugly.

"Oh, come on! I bet it's incredible!"

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah."

She squealed. "I knew it! I bet Edward Cullen is a sex god!"

"Jesus, Jess!" I looked around. "Think you could be any louder?"

"Probably. So is he?" She waited, expectantly.

"Yeah."

This made her even happier. "So... Is he, you know..." She lifted her hands and held them like she was measuring the distance between something and waggled her eyebrow.

"Oh, my," I said dreamily. I left it at that.

"You lucky bitch," Jessica joked.

Rosalie chuckled. "Carlisle and Esme must have done something right. Emmett's like a bear in the sack." She pondered something. "Hey, you know they say that sons inherit their size from their fathers? If Emmett and Edward are any indication, I'd say Daddy Cullen's hung like horse!"

"I think I just vomited in my mouth a little." I didn't want to think about Carlisle below the waist.

I was still nauseated as we sat there quietly, thinking over what Rosalie had said. The picture of Edward's brother roaring as he pounded Rosalie in their bed was unfortunately now burned in my brain.

Jessica's phone lit up and she looked down at it, grinning ecstatically. She started running her thumbs along the keypad, texting whoever it was back.

"Who's she texting?" Alice asked as she sat back down.

"A guy I met the other day," Jessica answered. "He just moved here from Seattle."

"Seriously? Wow, small world." She looked up at me with a confused expression. "Seattle's just a few hours away from Forks."

"Oh!" She looked down at her phone and giggled. "He wants to meet up." She looked around the table. "Is that okay?"

"Sure. Tell him to come on over," I suggested. "Edward is supposed to meet up with us here later."

Jessica looked at me and giggled. "You can't even stay away from him for one night!" She shook her head. "You've got it bad."

"So?" I mumbled, taking a drink from the straw but getting nothing. "Damn."

"Here, take a drink of mine!" Alice held me out her pink, fruity concoction.

I looked at it and sat back in my chair like I was avoiding the plague. "Um, no that's all right. I'll just go to the bar and get another one."

"Just suck it! It tastes good! I promise!"

I tried not to find that humorous in a dirty, sex-like way, but failed. I felt the laughter bubbling in my chest, and one look at Rosalie and Jessica's faces pushed me over the edge. We all burst out laughing, giggling hysterically.

"What?" Alice asked indignantly.

"Think about how that sounded," Rosalie snickered.

Alice's face lit up in comprehension, and she started laughing at herself. "Oh, you know what I meant. Just try it."

I took the drink from her and tentatively took a sip. It wasn't bad. "What is this?"

"A Sex on the Beach," she answered. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised you didn't know what it was, but I mean, good Lord! Everyone knows what a Sex on the Beach is."

"Obviously not everyone," I rebuked.

We sat there drinking and laughing at one another good-naturedly while the night drug on. I couldn't stop myself from looking down at my phone every now and then to see what time it was. I was having fun, but I felt like a part of me was missing now that I was away from Edward.

I checked it again and sighed. It was just past eleven-thirty. Five minutes after I checked last. I heard the bells on the door as it opened and looked up hopefully, only to see some blond haired guy walk in and scan the room. He stopped at our table and started to walk this way with his brows knit in confusion.

I immediately sat up in a defensive pose and looked over at the other girls, who were too busy laughing about some drunk idiot on the dance floor to notice the unwanted guest coming towards us.

As he got closer to our table, I kept averting my eyes, looking anywhere but at him so that I didn't give him any encouragement. I scanned the room and swept my gaze past him, only to do a double take.

Now that he was closer, I recognized the man and smiled.

"Mike Newton!" I got up and walked over to him, grinning stupidly at the blast from my past.

"I thought that was you! How are you, Bella?"

"I'm good! How are you?" I looked at him and noticed he hadn't changed a bit since college.

"I'm great. How long have you lived in Chicago?" He glanced over at Jessica.

I looked to her, but hadn't seen him yet. "Um, three months. Are you here to see Jessica?"

"Yeah. You don't mind, do you?"

"No, of course not!" I exclaimed.

Jessica finally saw him and hopped up, squealing as she came over to us. I looked at my empty glass and walked over to the bar.

"Hey, Bella!" Tanya waved. She ignored everyone else waiting for a drink and came over to me. "What can I get for you?"

"Um, I think I'll just take a water, if that's all right." I was done drinking.

"Sure."

I took the water from her and went to sit back down, crashing into Mike as I turned.

"Shit, I'm sorry, Bells." He looked at me apologetically.

"It's fine." I waved him off and took a sip of water, thankful I hadn't spilled it all over me.

"So you work with Jessica?"

I nodded. "Yeah."

I stood there for ten minutes, trying to get away from him, but he just kept talking. I couldn't help but think his persistence was extremely annoying.

I mentioned something in passing about my son, and he latched on to it.

"You have a son?" he asked, astounded.

"Yeah. He's five," I said proudly.

"Who... Are you married?" he stuttered.

"No."

He smiled warmly. "Do you have a picture?"

"Yeah." I dug around in my purse and pulled out a picture of Eli and me at the zoo that Edward had taken last month.

"He's really cute. And he looks nothing like you," he laughed.

"No. He looks like his dad. You know him."

He looked at me in confusion. "I do? Some guy from UW?"

I shook my head. "Jacob's his father." I glanced over at Alice, wishing we would have made up some sort of a sign to signal for interference.

"Jacob?" His voice got lower. "Are you together?"

"No." I saw his eyes light up with hope. "But I do have a boyfriend."

"Oh." His face fell.

I looked at him in shock. What an asshole! He was supposed to be meeting up with Jessica, not trying to pick up on some other girl right in front of her face!

He fiddled with the label on his beer bottle while we stood in awkward silence for a few minutes.

"Well, I'm going to go back over there with Alice and Rosalie," I said uncomfortably.

I started to walk back over to where Alice and Rosalie were standing and stopped. They were with Jasper and Emmett, talking excitedly.

I whipped my head around, looking for a streak of bronze hair, only to not find any. I frowned and looked back at the door.

_Where is he?_

I sighed dejectedly and heard a low chuckle in my ear. I spun around and came face to face with Edward, who was giving me a lopsided smile. He had his white Skin hat on backwards, which would be why I couldn't see his hair.

I felt my face stretch into a huge smile and wrapped my arms around him.

"Looking for someone, baby?"

I nodded. "But I found him," I said contentedly.

"You look hot," he growled against my ear.

My face flushed with pleasure. "Thanks," I said shyly.

He moved his mouth to mine and kissed me, running his tongue across my lips. I parted them and kissed him back before I heard someone clear their throat.

Edward pulled back and I saw the anger flash through his eyes before turning to the unwanted interruption.

Mike took in Edward's chiseled arms, running his eyes down the tattoo on his forearm, before looking at the skull on his shirt and finally looking up at Edward's irritated face. His eyes widened and he gulped, making his Adam's apple bob in his throat.

"Can I help you?" Edward asked him, slowly and deliberately.

"Um, I was just going to ask Bella where the restroom was."

Edward pointed to the men's room, watching Mike scurry off, and turned back to me.

"Who the hell was that joker?"

"Mike," I fumed.

He laughed and shook his head. "Take it down a notch, Tiger." I glowered up at him. "Why are you pissed at him?" He glanced back in the direction of the bathroom. "Did he hit on you?" he snarled.

"No. Baby," I stopped, "that was _Mike_. Like, Mike from UW." His eyes widened in recognition. "I couldn't get him away from me. He was asking me everything about my life, which I can handle, but when I told him I had a boyfriend and he acted like he was disappointed, I got pretty pissed off. I mean, he's supposed to be here for Jessica!"

"Sweetheart, I'm confused. He's here for Jessica?"

"Yeah. Apparently, he just moved here and she met him a few days ago. He texted her earlier and she asked him to meet her here. It's just rude to go somewhere to meet a girl and then ignore her when you get there. And it's even worse to express interest in another girl when she's just across the room!" I said hotly.

"I see. Well, judging by the look on his face I don't think he'll be bothering you anymore tonight. Not with me around," he chuckled.

"Probably not," I agreed. "What was that about anyway?"

"The dumbass actually _cleared his throat_ to break us apart. I didn't know the guy from Adam and here he was interrupting me kissing my girlfriend. I didn't realize you knew him," he finished apologetically.

"It's fine. He'll get over it," I said indifferently.

"Now, where was I before we were so rudely interrupted?"

He kissed me again, roaming his hands over my back and pulling me closer to him. I could feel the sparks of electricity his touch sent through my body mixing with the intoxicating scent that was pure Edward; it made my head spin. I finally broke away when I ran out of breath.

"Dance with me now?" I panted.

He grinned wickedly and pulled me on the dance floor. Our bodies shaped to one another as he grabbed my waist and pulled me towards him. I let him lead me, swaying my hips to the music, never breaking away from his lust-filled gaze.

I loved the way dancing with Edward made me feel. I didn't feel awkward and ungraceful with him. It felt so natural.

He spun me around after a few songs, pushing my hair out of the way and trailing his nose along my neck before biting it gently. I felt him grind his hardness into my ass, and I moaned loud enough that Edward could hear it, but not over the music.

"This is even better than the last time," he said huskily against my neck.

"Why's that?" I breathed.

"Because I get to go home and fuck you." He bit down on my ear and tugged gently , causing the fire that was burning low in my stomach to spread out through my veins. "Want to get out of here?"

"Please," I breathed.

We quickly said goodbye to everyone and rushed out to the parking lot. I stopped in my tracks as soon as I saw the bike instead of the Volvo.

"Oh, shit," I breathed, feeling the pressure pulse in between my legs.

"Something wrong?" He smirked.

"You did this on purpose," I stated. I thought I'd done so well hiding it.

"Sort of. I really liked the reaction it gave you the last time we rode it." His eyes looked black as he watched me intently.

I swallowed. "No cars. I don't want any more pictures floating around out there."

"No cars," he said, disappointed. "Guess I should go pick up some blinds for the windows, huh?"

"You think that's going to happen again?" I asked, feigning anger. Who was I kidding? I loved every second of it.

"Hoping, Bella. Just hoping." He held the helmet out to me, smirking.

I quickly twisted my hair up and wrapped a ponytail holder around it. I reached out to grab the helmet and was met with resistance. I looked at Edward and noticed he was frowning in concentration, looking around the parking lot.

"Edward?"

"Do you get the feeling we're being watched?" he asked quietly, still scanning the parking lot.

A shiver of fear crept over me and slithered down my spine. "I do now," I whispered.

"Let's go." He took one last look around. "Now."


	18. Chapter 18

**I'm hoping like hell this chapter isn't screwed up like the last. I originally posted an unedited verson of it Sat with ch 17 to see if it was my upload or the site so that's the reason for the e-mail it spit out.**

**I had planned to update yesterday but RL got in the way...**

**Thanks for the reviews! There were a lot of you out there that were just as pissed off at FF as I was!!!!**

**Edward meets Charlie in this chapter...**

***~***

Chapter 18

**Edward**

I walked in the kitchen from the garage after a long day at work, expecting an empty house, only to be surprised by Bella and Eli cooking in my kitchen. I had forgotten to get the garage door opener back from her Sunday-- which I was now extremely thankful for.

"Hi! What are you guys doing here?" I asked in excited surprise.

"We thought we'd surprise you and make you dinner," Bella answered.

Bella had the day off today and judging by the spread that sat on the table, she must've been bored.

"Yeah! Mom made all kinds of stuff and I made the cookies!" Eli was holding the icing and smiling at me. He had a red smear across his cheek and blue in his hair.

"I get cookies? Awesome!" I walked over to where they were and gave Eli a quick squeeze on the shoulder. "They look really good. Can I eat one now?"

"No. Momma says we have to wait for after dinner."

I playfully dropped my shoulders and frowned. "Well, that sucks."

Eli went back to icing the football-shaped cookie. "Blame my mom!"

I chuckled and walked over to Bella. "No cookies? What a shame." I bent down and nuzzled her neck. "I missed you, a ghrá."

Eli's head snapped up. "What did you call Momma?"

"A ghrá?" I asked in confusion. Surely I'd said it before in front of him. "I've not said it around you before?"

"No. What is it?"

"It's Irish Gaelic for 'my love'." I gave him a smile. I knew he'd like it.

Sure enough, his face lit up. "Cool! What's Gaelic?" His expression suddenly turned down as he waited for me to explain it to him.

I laughed. He hated not knowing about things.

"Well, my family is from Ireland and over there, there are people who speak Irish. It's a very old language and not many people speak it anymore. Gaelic describes anything that has to do with a group of people called the Gaels." I looked over at Bella. "I'm not really sure how to explain it to a five-year-old."

"Did you understand, Eli?" Bella asked him, trying desperately not to laugh at my pained expression.

"I think so."

"Well, can you tell it back to me?" she asked.

He nodded. "It's kind of like the Spanish on Diego, right?"

"Sort of. People in Ireland speak English, like us, but not all of them always used to. It's just easier for us to say that something's Gaelic, because not everyone in Ireland comes from the same people. You know, like Daddy comes from the Quiluetes but Mom doesn't."

"Oh! Okay! Hey, Edward? Will you teach me sometime?"

"Oh... uh... would your dad mind?" I didn't want to cause any problems. Bella had just dropped off the signed papers at her lawyer's this morning.

"I dunno. He teaches me Quiluete words." He looked up at me with pleading eyes. "Please, please?"

I ran my hand through my hair. "All right. I'll teach you one thing. Then you need to make sure it's all right with your dad before I teach you anything else. Deal?"

He nodded his head furiously. "Deal!"

"All right. The next time you see Grandpa Carlisle, call him Daideo. He'd really get a kick out of that."

Eli's brows furrowed as he concentrated on the word. "Dad-jo."

"You've got it. Daideo. It means 'grandad'."

He grinned, obviously pleased with himself.

I helped him finish the cookies before setting the table. We sat down to eat and I had to concentrate on not groaning inappropriately with each bite. I loved Bella's food and for a fleeting moment thought she should open her own restaurant and paused as I realized how much of a good idea that was.

I wondered if that was something she'd ever thought of.

After dinner, I shoved Bella out of the kitchen and cleaned up. As I was putting the last of the dishes in the dishwasher, I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. I pulled it out and looked at the number in puzzlement. I had no idea who it was.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Dr. Cullen? This is Detective Mancini. My partner Marcus and I are working on your case?"

"Oh, yeah. It's Aro, right?" He was some weird Italian looking guy, but Emmett said he was the best detective they had.

"Yes," he chuckled. I didn't know why he was laughing. As I said, he was a little strange. "Listen, we've got some information for you regarding your case."

"Great! Let's hear it."

He cleared his throat. "They traced the IP address of the computer and found that it was at a Holiday Inn off I-55. It was the office computer and the only person working at the time the e-mail was sent was a man named John Barnes. You wouldn't happen to know him, would you?"

"Never heard of him," I said truthfully.

"We checked their records and found that there was no guest checked in under the name Jane Ryan. Assuming that maybe she used an alias, we checked the security tapes from that night and saw no one enter or exit the lobby that looked like Ms. Ryan."

"She could have had a wig on." She was crazy. Not stupid.

"That's very possible and we thought of that, Dr. Cullen." He was silent for a moment. "We tracked Ms. Ryan down and spoke to her. She has an alibi for that night."

"But she was at the aquarium the day before. I saw her," I argued.

"Yes. She admitted that. She said that she caught a flight home the next day. We checked with the airline she said she flew with and found that she was on a flight back to Dallas that arrived before the time of the e-mail."

I sat there thinking about this. If it wasn't Jane, then who was it?

I voiced my thought out loud. "Who else could it have been?"

"I was hoping you could give me some insight on that. Is there no one else you can think of that would have a reason to... not like you or Ms. Swan?"

"No," I said honestly. "Bella just moved here a few months ago. She hasn't really had time to make enemies, Detective. And I don't usually have problems getting along with others. I passed that part of kindergarten with flying colors."

He laughed at my attempt to keep things light. "I'm going to e-mail you a list of things I'd like you to do to yours and Ms. Swan's residences to make you feel a little more secure until we can find a lead." His voice abruptly turned serious. "I'll do everything I can to find out who took those pictures. Instances like these can sometimes lead to physical threats and violence."

"Thank you. I'll uh, I'll let you know if I think of anything that might help you." _Or if something else happens_, I added mentally.

I hung up the phone and leaned against the counter. We were no closer to finding out who was watching us than we were three weeks ago.

I don't know how long I stood there, staring at the floor, trying to come up with an idea of someone who could dislike Bella or me enough to want to hurt us in some way or another. I heard Eli coming down the hall, singing, and looked up.

"Hi, Edward!" he said brightly.

I felt a smile pulling at my lips and cleared my throat so I wouldn't laugh. Eli was running around in his Spiderman underwear, wearing cowboy boots, and had the toy acoustic guitar I'd bought him slung over his shoulder.

"What exactly are you doing there, little man?" I pressed my lips into a tight line to hide my laughter.

He shrugged. "Singing."

He started strumming the guitar and singing something about his dog dying and his momma yelling at him before walking back out of the kitchen.

I crossed my arms over themselves on the counter and laid my head down on them and laughed so hard, I had tears in my eyes.

"Bella?" I called after I'd controlled myself.

"Yeah?" I heard her get up off the couch and walk this way.

I wiped the tears from my eyes. "Did you have something you wanted to tell me?"

She gave me a puzzled look. "What are you talking about?"

I laughed a little more. "I was just wondering why the Naked Cowboy was running through my house. I thought maybe you'd invited him over or something."

She giggled. "I have no idea what that was about. He's not mine, I swear. Someone must've given me the wrong baby at the hospital."

I smiled, closing the distance between us and brushed my thumb across her cheekbone. "Got a minute? I want to talk to you about something."

I wasn't going to keep this from her. I made it a point to learn from my mistakes.

"Sure. What's up?" she asked, eyeing me carefully.

"I just got off the phone with one of the detectives that's working our case."

"Oh?"

I hugged her tightly against me, taking a deep breath. "It wasn't Jane."

She shoved me away and looked at me, stunned. "What?!"

"She has an alibi. She was already back in Dallas when the e-mail was sent to us. From a computer at a hotel here in Chicago," I added.

"Then who the hell was it?!" she yelled, looking back towards the living room.

"I don't know. Bella, we're going to figure this out, I promise. The police are still investigating it. One of us will find out who took those pictures," I said fiercely.

She nodded and looked down at the counter and traced patterns with her fingers, thinking. I let her think it over as I watched her quietly. Finally she looked up at me and gave me a troubled smile, making my chest feel ten pounds heavier with guilt.

She cleared her throat and changed the subject. "So, um, Charlie's flight arrives at four tomorrow. Are you coming to the airport to pick him up with me?"

I shook my head. "I can't. I'll still be in surgery. I'll come straight over when I get through, though. Okay?"

"Sure."

* * *

I showered and changed out of my scrubs before I left the hospital for Bella's. I managed to get to her house without causing an accident, which was a huge feat considering how fucking nervous I was.

I ran my hand through my hair and knocked on the door. "Fuck," I muttered under my breath as I watched my hand shake in front of my face.

Eli opened the door and grabbed my hand. "Edward! Grandpa Charlie's here!" he shouted excitedly.

I acted shocked and gasped. "He is? I didn't know that!"

He snorted. "Yes you did!" I had just enough time to make sure the door was shut before he pulled me to the living room. "Grandpa Charlie! Edward's here!"

I mentally gathered myself, wiping my sweaty palms on my khaki cargo shorts, and walked over to the man getting off the couch. He looked nothing like Bella at first glance, but as I got closer I noticed they shared the same hair color and eyes--those beautiful, warm brown eyes I loved so much.

"Chief Swan," I said, extending my hand, "it's a pleasure to meet you."

"You, too, Edward." He took my hand and shook it, clearing his throat. "I hear you're a surgeon."

I nodded. "Yes, sir."

"Bella said something about you being a general surgeon. What's that mean exactly?" He was watching me closely.

_Does he ever not act like a cop?_

I started to run my hand through my hair again and caught myself. "Basically, I perform surgeries on a person's torso; mainly the stomach, intestines, and things like that. I sometimes deal with the thyroid gland and the skin. Um," I looked away nervously, "I guess if you need your appendix or gall bladder removed, I'm your guy."

He smiled slightly. "She also said something about you being in the military."

"Uh-huh. I went to Annapolis after I graduated high school and majored in Chemistry while I did my midshipman training. I decided that none of the areas of the Navy I could specialize in interested me as much as becoming a doctor, so I went to medical school at USHUS to follow the footsteps of my father and become a general surgeon." _Where the hell is Bella?_ "The year I got my certification, I heard that the Marines were in need of doctors in Iraq, so I volunteered to be a Devil Doc and got a quick refresher course in emergency medicine before I spent three years on and off at Camp Gannon."

This time, he smiled genuinely at me. "That's very impressive, Edward." He glanced back towards the kitchen. "I might as well get this out of the way now. I know I'll sound very cliché when I ask this but, what exactly are your intentions with my daughter?"

I sat there, gathering my thoughts. What exactly should I say? Something along the lines of "Chief Swan, I'm thinking of proposing with my grandmother's ring. Do you think it's too soon?" seemed a little too forward.

"I plan to be with Bella for as long as she'll have me," I answered.

His eyes widened slightly and he sat up a little straighter. "Really? Does that include marriage?"

It was like he could see right through me. "Shit," I whispered. My heart pounded furiously in my chest.

"You don't want to marry her?" He was watching me closely again.

"Actually, I do, sir. I just didn't want to have this conversation the day I met you," I said honestly.

"You want to marry my daughter?" he asked incredulously.

I nodded, unsure of what else to say. Was I asking for his blessing? Or was I just simply telling him what my intentions with Bella were?

_Fucking hell._

He glanced over at Eli, who was watching TV. "You know it's not just going to be Bella. Even though Eli's not yours, you're going to become a father by marrying her.

I gave him a crooked smile. "I'm counting on it, actually."

* * *

**Bella**

I heard voices in the living room and dropped everything I was doing in the kitchen.

_Shit! How long has he been here?_

I walked into the living room to see Edward and Charlie having an awkward conversation on the couch. Edward's head snapped up and he breathed a sigh of relief.

There was no telling what Charlie had been asking Edward. I wouldn't put it past my father to ask him how many people he'd slept with and if he was sleeping with me now. And if he _was_, was he fully prepared to live with the consequences of such actions... i.e. Eli.

Come to think of it, I didn't know the answer to those questions either. Edward was confident when it came to sex but wasn't the type of guy to sleep around. I'd have to find out about his sexual history later. After all, he knew the extent of mine--practically non-existent.

"Hi! How long have you been here?" I asked, looking in between the two of them.

"Twenty minutes?" he guessed, getting up and coming over to me.

He gave me a quick kiss on the cheek, nothing like our usual greetings. Charlie must be making him extremely uncomfortable.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't hear you come in."

"It's fine," he murmured soothingly. "Nerve-wracking, but fine."

I took Edward into the kitchen with me and made him help me with dinner, even though there wasn't much else to do . I didn't want him left alone with Charlie again. I didn't trust my father any farther than I could throw him. Which was maybe a few inches.

We managed to get through dinner with only a few uncomfortable stretches of silence, most of which were broken up by Eli telling Charlie about school and everything he's done in Chicago so far.

After dinner, Eli and Charlie went into the living room to play a game of Go Fish while Edward and I cleaned up. Edward had recently taught Eli how to play and now I could hardly keep his hands off the deck of cards I kept in the closet.

"I like your dad, Bella," Edward said casually, rinsing a plate and putting it in the dishwasher.

"You do?" I looked at him in disbelief.

He rolled his eyes and smiled. "Of course I do. He's very protective of you. I like that."

I groaned. "What did he say to you?"

"He merely asked me what my intentions were with you," he said with a teasing smile.

I started to get angry with Charlie for acting the role of the perfect, caring, loving father, when he barely cared about what I did as a child, until I realized I wanted to know the answer--badly. But couldn't seem to ask the question. I looked back down at the pile of dishes in the sink, struggling to find something else to say.

"Bella." He nudged me with his elbow. "Don't you want to know? I know I would." He grinned crookedly.

"A little," I admitted, trying to act nonchalant.

"I told him I planned to be with you as long as you'd have me." He smirked.

"Well, that's nothing new," I replied.

"Nope. Now, if we're finished here, I should probably go home."

I frowned. "You're really going home?" I asked sadly.

He exhaled slowly. "Yeah. I don't think it would be appropriate for me to sleep here with your dad sleeping on the couch directly below us."

"I guess you're right," I muttered.

I hadn't slept a night without Edward in a month and knew I was completely dependent upon the feel of his chest rising and falling with his breathing and the sound of his strong heart beating under my ear to fall asleep.

"I'll be back tomorrow after work. And I have Wednesday off so I planned a little surprise for your dad."

"Surprise?" I asked, confused.

"Just something I thought of doing with you one night on the bike and thought it would be better if I could take someone along who would appreciate it a little more." His mouth turned up on one side in a lopsided smirk.

"Whatever," I said, waving him off with a playful smile.

"I'll call you when I get home, all right?"

I nodded. "Kay."

"I'll miss you, a ghrá." I felt his warm breath wash over me, causing me to shiver, before kissing me deeply.

"Be ready to go by noon!" he called and walked out the door.

* * *

Edward's big surprise was to take us to one of the Cub's last home games before the end of the season. As soon as Eli saw where we were, he squealed in delight and took off towards the entrance. Edward had to chase after him, throwing him over his shoulder and tickling him, while they waited for Charlie and I to catch up. My dad was just as excited as his grandson, but was much more reserved about it.

"Good God, Edward! How much money did you spend on these seats?" I asked, glancing around Wrigley Field.

"Easy there, Money Nazi. Yes, they're good seats, but this is considered a bronze game. These tickets were cheap compared to the ones for next weekend's game. Those were two-hundred and fifty bucks more."

My eyes bugged out. "How much were these exactly?"

He laughed and pulled me against him. "Oh, no. You're not getting that information out of me anytime soon."

"Who are they playing today?" Charlie asked Edward.

"The Astros," he answered.

"Edward?" Eli asked. Edward looked down at him. "Daddy likes the White Sox," he commented.

"You're kidding? He doesn't like the Mariners?" Edward asked him back.

"No, not anymore. He said since we lived in Chicago we needed to root for one of the home teams." He looked confused as he repeated Jacob's words.

"Well, he picked the wrong team, buddy. The Cubbies are the best!" Edward put the hat he bought Eli on his head.

"I like the Cubs, too." Eli looked over at Charlie. "And the Mariners, Grandpa Charlie."

"That's my boy," Charlie said, patting Eli's back.

If it weren't for Edward, I wouldn't have been able to tell you whether or not the Cubs won--they did. Even though I grew up with Charlie, who watched any and every sport on TV, I was never a big sports fan. Edward helped me with some of the terminology whenever I looked at the scoreboard or field questioningly. They all hooped and hollered whenever one of the Cubs would score or make a good play. I was perfectly content to just sit there and watch my family.

After the game, I reluctantly rented Wolverine for Eli before we went back to my townhouse and ordered pizza for dinner. Edward insisted on paying for the pizza, irrationally pissing me off.

When the pizza was delivered, I went to the kitchen to get paper plates, napkins, and drinks and plowed right into Charlie, dropping everything on the floor, on my way back to the living room.

"What the hell's gotten in to you, Bella?" he asked, laughing.

I exhaled in exasperation and bent down to pick up the mess I'd made. "Nothing."

"Listen, I'm sorry I'm going to miss your birthday." He bent down to help me.

"That's okay. I understand. You had a couple guys already schedule vacation time for next week and had to take what you could get. Gotta be the responsible police chief," I teased. "I'm just glad you got to come. Eli's missed you."

"Yeah, I've missed him, too." He paused and cleared his throat. "I think Edward's good for you, Bella. You seem to have a good relationship. He, uh... he looks at you the way I remember your mom looking at me."

"Aw, Dad." I didn't know what else to say. "Thanks. It means a lot for you to say something like that."

Edward walked in the kitchen and looked at the mess. "Need any help?" He smirked.

I glared at him. "Not from you."

His brows knit and he opened his mouth to say something, only to snap it shut once he looked at Charlie. "Okay," he said slowly instead.

Charlie stood up. "I'm going to go see what Eli's up to."

Edward walked over to me and crouched down next to me, grabbing a napkin and wiping some of the milk I'd spilled off the floor.

"Did I do something wrong?" he asked quietly.

"Yes. No. I... I don't know. You took us to that baseball game and paid for every single thing we bought. Hats, shirts, drinks, beer, brats. It didn't matter, you wouldn't let me pay for any of it. And then we got home and you insisted on buying the pizza, too. I just pissed me off. I don't know why." I went to the sink and got a washcloth wet.

I heard Edward get up but never turned around. He put his hand on the small of my back and gently kissed the top of my head.

"Bella, I know you hate it when I spend money on you, which is why I hardly ever do. But I _love_ to spend money on you guys. It makes me happy to do something for you. And when I get the chance, I sometimes go overboard. I'm sorry if it upset you. But just so you know, I did it as much for Charlie and Eli as I did it for you." I turned around and looked at him. "I wanted to make a good impression, you know."

"You did," I said, smiling. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have gotten mad at you. It was stupid."

"It's okay. I guess I would have been pretty fucking surprised if you didn't," he joked.

We ate our dinner and started the movie, only to have Eli fall asleep halfway through. Charlie insisted on carrying him up to his bed while Edward and I picked up the living room and put away the leftover pizza.

"Bella? What's this?" Edward was holding an envelope, looking at it with curiosity.

"I don't know. I must've dropped it when I brought the mail in." I shrugged.

"No. You're address isn't on here. Just your first name." He slowly brought his head up and looked at me. "Son of a fucking bitch," he seethed.

"What?" I started to walk over to him.

"Don't come anywhere near me," he snapped. "Just stay where you are."

"What?" I asked in confusion. "Why?"

He ripped open the envelope and slowly took out the folded picture inside. He read it once and then he scanned it again, his eyes hardening and his jaw twitching in anger.

"It's all right. You can come here. Whoever it is, is still playing with us." He sounded absolutely lethal, even though his words were casual.

I hesitantly went over to him and took it from him. It was a picture of Edward and I dancing at Willy's from last weekend, photo shopped to make us look dead. The arm Edward had wrapped around me looked like something had chewed it off and I had blood pouring out of my neck from where Edward had nipped it. Our exposed skin was pale; our faces were sallow. I could feel my fury rise in my throat, but I quickly quelled it. It was so over-dramatic.

"At least we're not having sex this time," I said lightly.

He looked at me like I was about to sprout wings and fly. "How can you make a joke about something like this?"

"Because, Edward. They obviously want to scare us--and it does. Well, me anyway. It looks like it just pisses you off. I don't know if it's meant for you or me, but someone doesn't want us to be together. We just have to find out who. And I'll be damned if I give whoever-the-hell-this-is the satisfaction of seeing me scared."

"You're right." He seemed to immediately calm down. "I'll call Aro in the morning. Obviously, this person was at Willy's. Maybe someone saw something that will help us."

"Good idea." I glanced back towards the stairs. "Let's keep this between us. I don't want Charlie going back to Forks on Friday worrying about us."

"All right."

He pulled me into his arms, and I sighed quietly against his chest. After a while, he bent down and kissed me softly, trailing his tongue across my lips. I parted them and felt his tongue plunge into my mouth, causing tingling waves of electricity to pulse throughout my body.

"I'm sneaking back over tonight," he whispered huskily.

"What?" I was still dazed and didn't understand what he meant.

He ran his fingers across my breast and then down my stomach, reaching under the hem of my shirt and running his thumb across the bare skin of my stomach.

"I'm coming back later and you are going to sneak me into your room, like we're back in high school. I'm not leaving you alone tonight. Not after this."

"Charlie's here," I replied.

He cupped my ass in his hands and pulled me against him, letting me feel his hardness against my stomach.

"That's not the only reason I'm coming back over, love."

"Oh. Okay." Like I was going to argue.

"And if you can be quiet, I plan to taste every inch of your body until you beg me to fuck you," he said lowly.

My breath hitched. "Holy Christ."

***~***

**Is it Jane or is it not Jane? Hmm....**

**And unless Edward changes his mind again, Bella's birthday will be the next chapter....hehe. I already know what Edward is going to do :)**


	19. Chapter 19

**I thought I'd bless you guys with an update a day earlier than usual. I hammered this sucker out this afternoon and am getting ready to work on the next chapter while the hubby's in class and my kiddies are upstairs doing their chores :)**

**I'm going to start working on the sequel to Defying Gravity, because I'm in the zone and I want to get as much done as possible before I fall back out of it. So, if the updates are spaced further apart than usual, I'll just apologize ahead of time now--I'm sorry.**

**I LOVE reading everyone's thoughts on who-done-it. That shit makes my day! I could tell you guys whether or not you've guessed it yet, but I won't. It would limit the guesses and what happens if it's someone totally obscure like Angela? (It's not, BTW) But maybe I could give you a hint? I don't know...**

**LEMON AHEAD!!!!**

***~***

Chapter 19

Edward

The entire week after Charlie left, I did everything on the list Detective Mancini sent me. I changed the locks on all the doors at both my house and Bella's townhouse, installed a security system--complete with cameras--on my house, changed all the key codes on the garage doors and kept every single blind and curtain closed in every single room of my house.

I also kept a loaded gun with me in my car at all times along with a copy of my permit in my wallet. It wasn't on the list, but I wasn't going to be caught off guard.

We gave the picture to Detective Mancini who ran it for prints. Apparently, whoever was doing this was fucking smart because there wasn't so much as a partial print on the entire photo.

Yet another dead end.

I was getting pretty fucking tired of this shit. I was on my way to my girlfriend's house for her birthday and couldn't even look forward to it because I was wondering if some nutso would be following us with a long-range lensed camera. Or if they would pick tonight to step up their game.

I pulled into a parking space close to Bella's townhouse and got out, grabbing the lilies I'd gotten her and patting my pocket to make sure the ring didn't fall out in the car somewhere. Bella knew was that I was picking Eli and her up and then we would take Eli to my parents house, where he was spending the night. After that, we were going out to dinner at Geja's.

That was as far as I'd planned. Shitty, I know.

I wasn't entirely sure when or how I would give her the ring. Would we go back to my house before I gave it to her? At dinner?

And I still had no idea what I was going to say.

I got to the door and noticed Bella had locked it.

_Good girl._

I opened the door with my key and saw Eli sitting on the floor playing with some of his cars. Bella and I each had keys to one another's house now. It only made sense, since we were back and forth so much.

"Hey, buddy!" I called.

"Edward!" Eli dropped the cars in his hands and ran over to give me a hug.

"Ready to go see Daideo?" I asked.

"Yeah." His brows knit as he looked up at me. "What can I call Grandma Esme?"

"Hmm. Well, I guess you could call her what I called my grandma," I answered. "I called her Mamó."

"Cool!"

We sat on the couch and I found an episode of Handy Manny that was on Bella's DVR for Eli to watch. I couldn't stop fidgeting with my sleeve while I waited for Bella to finish getting ready.

"Hey, Edward?" I looked over at him and waited. "Why are you and Momma so dressed up?"

"Well, I'm going to take her out for her birthday. I know we gave your mom the picture Grandpa Charlie took of all of us earlier, but I still have something else to give her and I wanted to make it special."

"Oh." He stopped. "What is it?"

"Ha," I laughed nervously. "It's a ring called a Claddagh. It was my grandmother's and I was going to give it to Mom tonight."

"Can I see it?" he asked excitedly.

"Sure." I pulled the ring out of my pocket and showed it to him. "You think she'll like it?"

"Uh-huh."

I put the ring back in my pocket and glanced at the stairs. "Listen, I want to ask you something." I turned and faced him. "What would you think of me marrying your mom?"

He looked down at the ground, pursing his lips as he thought about it. "Would you be like my dad?"

"No. Jacob is your dad. I'd be your step-dad , Eli."

He sat there and thought about it again. "Would I have to call you dad?"

I chuckled. "No. You can still call me Edward."

"But what if I wanted to call you dad? It would be kinda cool to have two Daddies." He grinned widely at me.

I ran my hand through my hair. "Um, well, as much as I would love that Eli, I think we'd have to talk to your parents about that first." He nodded but looked at his hands sadly. "Eli?" He looked back up at me. "You know I love your mom, right?"

"Yeah."

"But did you know I love you, too?" I asked seriously.

His eyes widened. "You do?"

I smiled warmly at him. "Of course I do, silly."

His face lit up and he wrapped his arms around me. "I love you, too, Edward."

My heart seemed to swell in my chest with his words and I knew exactly what it was I wanted to do. Bella and Eli were my family; my life. Now I just needed to make it official.

I sighed and hugged him back, looking at the steps again. "So it's okay if your mom and I get married?" I needed to be absolutely sure he was all right with it before I said the words.

"Yeah!" he shouted, immediately shrinking back into the couch and looking back at the steps.

I laughed a little. "Hey, Eli? What do you think of helping me with a little surprise for your mom really quick?"

"Can I?!" He bounced up happily.

"Yep. But first, we need to call Daideo."

******************************

Bella came down the stairs looking absolutely breath-taking. She literally took the fucking breath out of my lungs in that red dress she was wearing. It hung perfectly on her body, showing off her incredible curves, and had a teasing v-neck. She was wearing a pair of black stilettos that had only a couple of straps to keep them on her feet. I eyed them warily as my eyes traveled up her legs, over the red dress again, and finally to her face.

Her hair was pulled up and I pictured myself taking it down and letting her long, smooth hair fall down her back just before making love to her. Because that's what I was going to do to her tonight--even if it killed me. She deserved nothing less.

She looked over my black suit and gray button-down shirt, licking her lips. I felt the saliva pool in my mouth and my dick instantly hardened.

_Shit._

I wasn't sure how long I'd be able to keep my cool with her looking at me like that while wearing what she was. I wanted nothing more than to devour her.

I shook my head clear of that thought and crossed the room to her.

"You look fucking edible," I growled in her ear, kissing the hollow just beneath it tenderly and handed her the flowers.

I heard her breath hitch before she exhaled shakily. "Thanks. You look really good, too."

We managed to get in the car without doing something unsuitable for children and drove to my parents'.

As soon as we got there, Eli took off running down the walkway to where Carlisle and Esme were waiting for us.

"Daideo! Mamó! I get to spend the night!" he yelled on his way.

I grabbed his bag out of the car and waited for Bella before we made our way over to them.

Esme had tears running down her face. "You taught him...He called me..." She stopped trying to talk and wrapped her arms around me, almost knocking me over.

"Whoa. Mom. It's all right." I rubbed a circle on her upper back with my hand, slipping the ring in her pocket with my other hand.

She stepped back and nodded, wiping her tears away carefully. "Okay. Eli! Let's get you inside. We have some stuff to do before you and Daideo leave. Happy Birthday, Bella." She led Eli up the porch and into the house.

"Yes, Happy Birthday," Carlisle told her.

"Thank you. So, where are you guys going?" Bella asked.

"Um, nowhere in particular. I thought I might take him someplace to play later on," Carlisle answered vaguely.

"Dad will have Eli so worn out by the time we get him back tomorrow, we won't think it's the same kid," I said, interfering.

"Most likely," he said with a smile. "Well, have a nice night," Carlisle said, turning back towards the house.

We got back into the car and drove to Geja's Café wordlessly. Now that Eli was gone the electricity seemed to crackle in the air between us. Between my desire to forgo any plans I had to make love with Bella and pull the car over so I could ravish her right now and the nerves that were racking my body with the thought of my impending question, it was all I could do to stay focused on the road.

Finally, when we were almost there, Bella broke the silence.

"Edward? What is going on?"

I snuck a glance at her and quickly looked back at the road. I swallowed hard. "Nothing."

"It's not nothing," she argued. "You've barely spoken a word to me since you picked me up. And you've got your hands gripped so tightly on the wheel, I'm surprised you haven't crushed it yet. What's the matter?"

"I...I can't even look at you, much less talk to you, without wanting to pull the car over and rip that gorgeous dress off your body so I can fuck you." I took a deep breath. "And I'm pretty sure that would ruin our evening. With you being without clothes and all."

Her mouth formed a round 'o' and she quickly shifted her body so that she was sitting straight ahead, looking at the road.

Once we got to Geja's, I relaxed considerably. I was still nervous as hell, but I didn't have that extra problem of my dick throbbing in my pants with need for Bella.

"I've never actually had fondue before," she said casually, munching on a piece of zucchini.

I looked at her incredulously. "You went to culinary school! How could you not have had fondue until now?"

She giggled. "Okay, let me rephrase that. I've never had an entire meal consisting of fondue before." She dipped some bread in the cheese sauce. "I like it."

I managed to control my nerves and get through dinner without dropping anything on myself or shaking uncontrollably. I kept things light with Bella, trying not to get too serious, so that I didn't spoil my surprise.

We were waiting for our flaming chocolate fondue dessert to arrive when Bella whipped her head around and scanned the room.

I almost laughed. "What is it?"

Her brows knit. "I could have sworn I saw Eli."

"Why would Eli be here?" I was ringing my napkin in my hands beneath the table.

She looked over at me slowly. "I don't know."

She watched me skeptically while I shoved a piece of chicken in my mouth, trying to act nonchalant. Eli and Carlisle were early.

Thankfully, desert arrived and Bella's attention was now on the flaming chocolate that was now in front of us. The waiter blew out the flame and refilled our wine before walking away.

I speared a strawberry and dipped it in the sauce, holding it out for Bella to try. She carefully bit into it and I watched her eyes roll back in her head.

"This is really good," she mumbled.

I ate the rest of it "Yep," I said, distracted. I brought my thumb to her mouth. "You have..." I said, trailing off as I wiped the chocolate from her lips.

I licked my thumb of the chocolate and watched her chest heave with the breath she inhaled. I quirked my eyebrow at her but said nothing about it. It wasn't like I could do anything about it in a crowded restaurant.

Well, not tonight, anyways. I could always try something some other time.

As we ate our desert, I quietly texted Carlisle while Bella was preoccupied with trying to figure out what all was in the sauce. Before I realized it, we were finished.

"So, um, I know Eli and I gave you that picture earlier but I have something else I wanted to give you that was just from me," I said nervously.

She gave me a puzzled look and smiled. "You didn't have to buy me anything."

"I didn't." I saw Eli walking up out of the corner of my eye, but stayed focused on Bella.

"Momma?" Eli asked as he walked up.

Her eyes popped out and she turned her head towards Eli. "What are you doing here?"

"I forgot to give this to you earlier," he said looking at me. I winked at him. He was doing it perfectly.

Bella looked at the green paper box that Eli had made with Esme. He held it up in his hand and her face lit up. "You made me this? Thank you, baby!"

"Open it!" he shouted happily as she took it from him.

She carefully opened it up and looked into it. She looked back at me questioningly before looking back at Eli.

"Look inside!" I motioned for him to quiet down while I laughed under my breath.

Bella pulled out the piece of paper, opened it, and smiled. I had told Eli to draw a picture of us together anywhere he wanted. He had drawn the three of us in my front yard with a dog.

"That's really good," she told him. "Is this supposed to be Edward's house?"

"Uh-huh!" he said excitedly.

She pulled the velvet box out and opened it. "Edward," she whispered.

"Keep going, Momma!"

"Hey. Relax." I scolded.

She pulled the first strip of paper out of the box and read it, smiling.

_Happy Birthday, a ghrá. The ring in your hand was my grandmother's. It was the Claddagh my grandfather gave her on the day he asked her to marry him._

She pulled out the second strip, reading it while her smile grew wider.

_A Claddagh has many meanings depending on how the person wears it. If you put it on your right hand and face the heart out, it means you're looking for love. If you turn it around and face the heart in towards your body, it means your heart has been 'captured'. If you wear this on your left hand, with the heart facing out, it means you're engaged. If you turn it in while keeping it on your left hand, it means you're married._

She pulled out the third strip, reading it with a slight hitch of her breath.

_Nothing would make me happier than to see it sit on your left hand for the rest of my life._

"Read the next one, Momma!"

She pulled out the last strip and bit her lip, taking in a shaky breath. I watched her eyes tear up slightly.

_Will you marry me?_

"You want...?" She looked at me again.

"Put the ring on her!" Eli exclaimed.

"I know the drill, buddy."

I got out of my seat and dropped down on one knee, taking the box out of her hand. "Isabella Swan, there is nothing in this world I could want more than to have you as my wife. I love you and Eli with all my heart and cannot imagine my life without the two of you in it. I want to grow old with you; have babies with you." I looked over at Eli and smiled. "I could use a couple more of these running around."

I slipped the ring on her left ring finger with the heart pointing towards me and I looked up at her again. Her chin trembled as she looked down on me.

"Please say yes," I breathed.

She looked down at the ring on her finger and ran her right thumb across it. "It's the color of your eyes," she whispered.

My heart was thudding loudly in my throat as I waited for what felt like an eternity for her answer.

She looked over at Eli and had tears in her eyes. "You talked to him about this?"

"Yeah! I want Edward to be my step-dad! Please?" he pleaded. "Please, Momma?"

She looked back down at me, smiling broadly, as the tears finally spilled down her cheeks. "Yes," she choked out.

I thought my heart would explode in my chest with that one simple word.

"Yes?" I asked in disbelief.

"Yes," she repeated, laughing.

I stood up and pulled her out of her seat, crushing her against my chest before taking her face in my hands and kissing her soundly, pouring all the joy I felt in that moment into the kiss. I could hear the applause of the other people in the restaurant but ignored them.

I scooped Eli up and hugged them both against me. "She said yes!" I said in excitement, kissing him on the cheek.

"I know!" he giggled.

Carlisle came over to us, hugging Bella and talking to her quietly about something before coming over to me.

"Congratulations, son," he said sincerely.

"Thanks."

"Come on, Eli. Let's let them celebrate alone." He took Eli's hand in his and started towards the door.

"Bye Momma! Bye Edward!" Eli called back to us, beaming.

We watched them walk out of the restaurant before I pulled Bella back into my arms.

"We're getting married," she breathed.

"We're getting married," I affirmed.

By some miracle, the beautiful, angelic creature I held against me loved me just as much as I loved her--and I had no idea why. I was selfish and over-bearing, just to name a couple. I worked long hours and had no idea how to be the romantic, sensitive, caring guy I thought most women wanted. But still, I knew I would spend the rest of my life trying to be a better man for her; to be the best husband and father I could be.

_Husband._

_Father._

I smiled against her hair with the thoughts. "Ready to go, sweetheart?"

"Um-hm," she sighed contentedly. "I'm ready."

******************************

Bella

I couldn't stop staring at the green jeweled ring that now sat on my left ring finger. It was like I couldn't grasp what had happened. It felt surreal--like a dream.

I knew he loved me. I'd have to be blind not to see that. But for some reason, marriage was never something I gave much thought about. It was like I was waiting for the other shoe to drop.

I knew I was good enough for him. But I was the single mom of a rambunctious five-year-old who's father recently caused a lot of unnecessary grief and anger with his admission to loving me. Where most guys would have said it wasn't worth it and take off, Edward instead stayed.

Edward had the world at his feet. He was smart, successful, and extremely handsome. I still couldn't fathom the thought that out of everything he could possibly do with his life, he wanted to spend it with me.

_I'm marrying Edward Cullen._

A small giggle escaped my throat with the thought.

Edward looked over at me curiously. "Are you all right?" he asked, laughing slightly.

"Fine!" I said quickly. I changed the subject to save myself from embarrassment. "So, what's the plan now?"

"I actually don't have one," he admitted sheepishly. "We can do whatever you want."

"If you don't have anything else planned, where are you taking me?" I asked, looking back at the road.

"To my house." He grinned crookedly. "Unless you'd like to do something else," he quickly amended.

"Your house is great," I replied.

We pulled into the garage fifteen minutes later and quickly got out of the car. Edward made sure everything was locked up tight and took me to his bedroom.

He didn't bother turning on the light as he walked me back to his bed, kissing and nipping down my neck while his hands roamed my body. His fingers grazed up my stomach and stopped at the bottom of my breasts, running over them lightly.

"I have wanted to take you out of this dress all night," he said roughly.

He took my mouth in his and I felt the slow burn his touch always elicited turn into a raging inferno, threatening to consume me. His hands moved to the zipper of my dress and slowly, excruciatingly, brought it down to my waist while his tongue never stopped moving against mine.

His hands slipped up my arms sinuously, pulling down the straps of my dress and letting it crumple to my feet as he cupped my breasts in his hands, moaning slightly.

"No bra," he groaned against my mouth.

He moved his hands down my stomach, stopping and kneading my hips in his palms, before they made their way down further. He gently slid his fingers up my slit and I felt his eyes snap open against my face.

"Fuck!," he growled. "No underwear."

"Um-um," I agreed breathlessly, pushing the suit jacket off his shoulders.

He pushed his hips into me, letting me feel his rock hard dick against my body. "Do you feel what you do to me?" I moaned. "God, I don't know if I can be gentle," he said softly. "I can't...I wanted to..."

"What did you want to do to me, Edward?" I asked him seductively as I fumbled with the buttons on his shirt.

"I wanted to make love to you. Like the first time."

He kissed me again, this time slower, struggling to keep control on his emotions.

"As wonderful as that sounds," I kissed him back, unbuttoning his pants and pushing them down his legs, "you need to make up your mind. I need you. Now."

He groaned indecisively and picked me up, putting me on the bed as he settled in between my legs. His dick was right where I needed him and I pushed my hips up, wanting desperately to feel him inside me. He bucked his hips forward slightly, letting the tip push against my entrance before moving it up my slit and running it across my clit slowly.

He cupped my face with his hand and kissed me resolutely before making his way down my body with his mouth. He stopped at my breasts and lavished each one with his tongue, flicking my nipples gently until he moved down my stomach, working down my hip bone to the inside of my thigh.

He kissed me softly as he pushed my legs out further and flicked my clit with his tongue, causing my hips to push up against him. He hummed his approval and slipped his finger in me, moving it in and out fluidly as he twisted and curled it inside me. He added a second finger and cleverly moved them in and out of me as he sucked on my clit gently.

"Edward! I'm..."

I couldn't speak anymore as my orgasm rocked through my body. My body convulsed and I struggled to keep myself from squeezing Edward's head with my thighs like a vice. I slowly came down and expected him to stop, but he just kept going.

"No," I groaned. The feelings he was sending through my body was almost too much. "Please. I need you, Edward," I begged.

He pushed away from in between my legs and slid his body up mine, never letting his mouth break contact with my skin. His face was finally inches from mine and I could see the animalistic need in his eyes with the soft glow of the light coming from the kitchen.

"Fuck me," I encouraged him. I normally would have blushed with the statment, but I was so far gone I didn't care.

My words caused something to snap inside him and before I knew it, he had driven himself into me, pulling out and ramming himself back in, making my entire body react; pulsing with each thrust.

He pushed my legs back against the bed and went deeper inside me, grinding his hips into mine every time he slammed back down on me. I felt my head roll to the side while my entire body clenched up, nearing release.

His speed increased and he moved his mouth to the area of my neck I had exposed, sucking down on it hard. The sensation shot through me and I cried out in pleasure as my second orgasm rushed over me, making my toes curl and my back arch off the bed.

"Oh, God. Bella," he moaned, shifting himself on top of me so that he was thrusting continuously against my g-spot. "I love you," he groaned against my ear.

"I...love...you," I said between gasps.

I heard his rough swallow next to my ear. "I'm coming soon." He exhaled with exertion. "Can you come with me?"

I nodded and felt his hand move in between our slick bodies, rubbing slow circles on my clit with his thumb as he kept moving in and out of me. He grunted in concentration as he moved his mouth to mine, kissing me deeply. Soon, I felt my body tighten up again and a small whimper escaped my throat as I came.

Edward thrust into me one last time, chanting my name repeatedly as he pulsed inside me.

He collapsed on top of me, rolling us over to our sides--never breaking our contact.

"That was..." he panted.

"Yeah," I agreed, too worked up to elaborate any further.

He laid there, breathing heavily, and pulled the pins out of my hair before he ran his fingers across my scalp, sending chills down my spine.

"So what would my fiancée like to do for the rest of the evening?" he asked lightly.

I watched his eyes smolder as he waited for my answer. "You like saying that, huh?"

He pulled me tighter against him and smiled. "I really do."

I giggled softly. "I like hearing it," I told him honestly.

He kissed me passionately, dominating my mouth with his tongue and I felt him harden inside me again.

I pulled away. "I guess I'd like to go to sleep now."

He looked at me incredulously. "You want to sleep? All right."

He sighed and started to shift away, but I held on to him and grinned.

"I was kidding, baby," I said with a laugh. "But this time, I get to be on top."


	20. Chapter 20

**Thanks for the reviews! **

**I hardly ever have a chance to sit down and respond to them...you guys are just lucky I get the chance to write/post. But I get a lot of reviews saying Eli's cute and I thought I'd say a big, monster THANKS!!! I based Eli on my 6 yr old daughter Ashton, but instead of the Barbies and Hannah Montana obsession, I made him like what my son does: Scooby, Spiderman, Pixar movies, Transformers, and cars. So basically, you guys are complimenting my kiddies which I LOVE because I think they're the best kids in the world (though I might be a little biased)**

**I'm going to bold the POV's from now on--as per requested ;)**

**LEMON AHEAD!**

***~***

Chapter 20

**Edward**

I woke up to the feel of Bella's soft fingers running over the copper-colored stubble along my jaw line. I felt my lips twitch at the sensation and took in a deep breath, inhaling Bella's sweet scent mixed with her strawberry shampoo.

This was how I wanted to wake up every day for the rest of my life. Bella had seven weeks left until the lease on her townhouse was up and I had every intention of having her and Eli move in with me. Now that we were engaged, there was no reason for her to say no.

_Engaged._

I thought of that word again and felt something rush through my body, causing my heart to feel twice the size and thump erratically in my chest. I had no idea what it was--love, happiness, excitement, adoration. I didn't care what the fuck it was, just as long as the feeling never died. I felt more whole--more complete--than I'd ever thought possible.

I shifted slightly underneath her and peered over at her, smiling.

"You're awake," I said groggily.

"Um-hm."

I glanced over at the clock and noticed it was just after nine. We'd been up half the night worshiping each other. After the first couple of rounds, the crushing need I felt to take Bella as my own and claim her dissipated, and I was able to focus on showing her all the love I felt for her in that moment; the love that I would feel for her for the rest of my days.

"Why?" I hugged her tighter against my body. "Go back to sleep."

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, trying to fall back to sleep.

"I can't. Too..." She trailed off uncertainly.

I groaned sleepily and shifted my body so that I was facing her. I needed to know what was going through her mind.

"Too what, baby?"

"Excited, nervous. In denial," she answered quietly.

"Denial?" I was slightly confused.

I felt her shoulders shrug against my chest. "I keep wondering when my brain will realize it made the whole thing up. That we're not really getting married, it was all just a dream."

She was right--it did feel like a dream. I couldn't imagine that after only three months that she would feel even a fraction of what I felt for her--enough to make her agree to marry me.

I kissed her softly. "I know how you feel. But it's not," I whispered. "I asked you to marry me last night. And now I am going to spend the rest of my life thanking my lucky stars that you said yes."

She giggled. "You're being very sweet this morning."

I grinned crookedly at her. "I figured the occasion called for it. Would you like me to stop and start swearing at you?"

"No. This is good. I don't hear you say many things like this, so I'll take what I can get."

I rolled my eyes and changed the subject. "So, I guess we have a busy day ahead of us."

She burrowed into my chest. "Don't remind me," she muttered.

"You don't want to tell everyone we've ever known that we're getting married?" I asked teasingly. "Because I do."

"I don't want to be the center of attention," she admitted. I felt the heat rush through the cheek she had pressed against me.

I laughed silently and pulled her chin up so that I could see her flushed face. "You'd better get used to it. You're going to be the center of attention when you walk down the aisle." I studied her for a moment. "When do you want to do it anyway?"

"You want to set a date already? We just got engaged _last night_!"

"No, not an exact date. But you know Alice and my mother will want to know. Just thought maybe we should have a game plan. That's all," I said nonchalantly.

I was dying to make plans with her already but kept those feelings locked up tight.

Her forehead creased as she thought about it. "I don't know. I really don't care to be honest." I gave her a strange look. _She didn't care? What kind of horseshit is this?_ "I don't have a specific date in mind and I don't need anything big and fancy. Just you, me, a preacher, and a couple witnesses is fine with me," she explained. "What do you want?"

"A small wedding sounds great," I said honestly. "I don't need an entire church full of people I barely know when I marry you. I won't be looking at them anyway." I grinned crookedly again. "How about sometime next summer? After Emmett and Rosie get married?"

"Sounds good."

"What about..." I trailed off, swallowing nervously. "Um, what about names? Are you planning on keeping yours?"

"Yeah, I guess." I tried to keep my face blank. "I don't know, I guess I could do some sort of hyphen? Bella Swan-Cullen?"

I fucking hated that. I wanted to give her my name and make her mine in every way possible.

"You want to hyphenate your name? Have fun signing checks. Isabella M. Swan-Cullen, that'll take you a minute. People are going to be lined up behind you, pissed off that they have to wait for you to sign your check," I joked.

"Hmm. You're right, that is awfully long." Her face scrunched up with distaste. "I guess I'll just change it. Bella Cullen. Sounds okay, right?"

I looked deeply into her eyes, trying to convey my feelings silently. "It sounds better than okay, a ghrá. It sounds fucking incredible," I growled.

She smiled brightly back at me. "I guess we have a game plan then, huh?"

"I'd say it was a start." I leaned down and kissed her neck slowly. "Now, if we're done discussing our nuptials, I'd like to finish celebrating," I said lowly.

"You're not done?" She quickly extricated herself out of my arms and hopped out of the bed before I could ever register what she was doing. "We have an entire day full of phone calls and family visits. I don't think we have time for any more celebrating," she chastised.

I pouted and sat up. "Damn it. Not even a quickie?"

She shook her finger at me and pretended to be annoyed. "I don't think so. I need to get in the shower."

She stripped out of the t-shirt she'd slipped on last night and wiggled out of her underwear. She then walked around naked, pretending to look for something suitable to wear. I felt my dick harden with ever step she took. My eyes followed her every move and I had to concentrate on not jumping out of the bed and attacking her like some sort of deranged tiger, taking her at will on the floor. Or the wall. Wherever we happened to land.

I reached down in my boxers and adjusted myself, struggling not to hiss with the contact my hand made on my now aching dick.

She purposefully dropped her jeans on the floor and bent over to pick them up, glancing over her shoulder playfully.

I felt a low growl build in my chest. "Bella," I warned.

"Hmm?" she asked innocently raising her eyebrows. "I'm going to get in the shower now. You might want to take care of that." She looked at the tent my dick had formed in my boxers pointedly and turned away.

I groaned as she turned and walked into the bathroom, turning on the shower.

"Cock tease!" I yelled at her in frustration.

I heard her laugh loudly. "I'd only be a cock tease if I didn't plan on doing something about it. Now get in here before I change my mind!"

She didn't have to ask me twice.

******************************

I went out to the deck and sat down, pulling out my cell phone and attacking the list of people I needed to call and tell about my engagement to Bella. I called all the guys that I kept in touch with from my time in the Navy and with the Marines, then called James, Carmen, and the Denali's. After I got through that excruciatingly long list, I decided I needed a break from the 'Congrats' and called Esme to check up on Eli.

"Hey, Mom. How's Eli doing? Is he being good?" I asked when she answered.

"Of course he is, sweetheart. What a silly question. You know he's always good for us," she responded, laughing.

"Yeah. I guess."

"So, your father tells me that Bella said yes! I'm so happy for you guys! I can't believe all my babies are married and gone," she sniffled.

"Mom," I groaned. "Alice is the only one of us married."

"Close enough," she muttered, making me laugh. "So, have you told Alice and Emmett yet?"

"No. I wanted to do that in person. I thought I'd call them and see about stopping by with Bella later or something."

"No," she argued. "I'll just call them and they can have dinner here. Then you can tell them all at the same time."

"Seriously, Mom. It's fine. I can just go to their houses and tell them. You don't need to make a big to-do about it."

I should have lied to her and told her I'd already told Alice and Emmett, but knowing my luck she'd call my sister and spoil the surprise.

"Please?" she pleaded. "I want to see their faces when you tell them."

I groaned inwardly. Of course she did. "Fine. But don't give anything away when you invite them over. You and Alice are terrible about keeping secrets."

"I am not!" she protested. I sat there silently. "Okay, maybe sometimes. I promise I won't ruin it, all right?"

"Okay," I laughed. "I'll see you later. What time?"

"Six," she stated.

"Six it is. Love you."

"Love you more!" she called as she hung up.

I chuckled to myself and heard Bella open the door from the kitchen.

"There you are!" she exclaimed. "I've been looking all over the house for you!"

"Hey!" I called back. "Did you get a hold of everyone?"

She nodded. "How about you?"

"Yep." I patted my lap for her to sit down on. "The Denali's and James all said to tell you 'Congrats'." I ran my fingers through her hair once she was settled on my lap. "Esme wants to have some sort of dinner tonight so we can tell everyone at once. So, it sounds like the only person left to tell is Jacob."

I felt her tense up. "Shit."

I pulled her tightly against me and kissed the top of her head. "It'll be all right. I'll be there with you." I cleared my throat. "Do you think it will be bad?"

"I don't know. Possibly," she said quietly. "Most likely."

"Well, he's supposed to pick up Eli on Tuesday, like usual, right?" She nodded in agreement. "How about we see if Alice or Rosie can pick Eli up from school and take him to the park down the street from your place while we tell him. Just in case."

That would give us two days to enjoy being engaged before the asshole ruined it.

"Okay. That works for me."

I reached up and ran my hand through my hair. "I was thinking earlier. Your lease is up on your townhouse in less than two months so I thought maybe you and Eli could just move in with me. We can talk to Jacob about it on Tuesday, too. What do you think?"

I waited nervously for her answer. She slowly pushed off my chest and stared down at me.

"You want us to move in with you?" she asked skeptically.

I couldn't help but laugh. "Well, yeah. I want to fucking marry you, why wouldn't I want you guys to move in with me?"

She laughed back. "That's true. All right, we'll move in with you." She beamed back at me.

I pulled her down and kissed her. "Is there anything online somewhere about building a time machine? Because I would love for the next seven weeks to be here and gone already so I can spend every night with you in my bed."

She giggled and kissed me again. "Nope. Sorry, this isn't a movie."

"Damn."

*****************************

We were all sitting around the huge table under the portico at Carlisle and Esme's drinking and laughing while Esme and Eli finished getting desert ready.

"Edward! Tell Bella what you did at that party at James and Joey's apartment!" Emmett boomed.

I laughed and took a sip of my beer. "You've never had the pleasure of meeting James' older brother Joey," I said to Bella. "Joey is gay. I mean, flaming gay. Neither James or I have any problem with Joey being gay. In fact, it would be weird if he was straight. I'm just telling you this now, because this story might make it seem like I have a problem with it."

Bella nodded and smiled at me. "Got it."

"James came back from Iraq a few months before I did and got an apartment with his older brother Joey. When I came home, James and I made plans to go out one night. We ended up going back to James' place to drink since he was bored and as soon as we walk in the door, Joey says 'Hey guys! How's it going?'" I said it in my best gay voice, making the entire table laugh. "James looks over at Joey and says 'Eat a bowl of dicks, faggot!' I was so shocked because I thought it would offend him, but no, Joey just laughed about it and made some snide comment about James not getting enough pussy.

"James immediately goes to his room and starts calling people up for this impromptu party. People start showing up and Joey is screeching about everyone walking in and out of the apartment and worried that someone is going to let his cat out."

"Oh, no," Alice giggled.

"I fucking hate cats. Alice had this demon cat named Percy when we were little who would come in my room and scratch up the bed or pee on the floor. It got to the point where I tried to convince Mom to take it to the Humane Society, but she wouldn't do it because Alice would be devastated," I said sarcastically. I looked at Bella. "So no cats. Ever."

She laughed at me. "Okay."

"Anyways, I'm drunk and sick as shit of hearing about this fucking cat. Not only that, but Joey had already hit on me a few times--knowing I'm straight--and I was pissed. I found the cat and put it in the curio cabinet in the dining area where Joey had all these stupid ass plates of people like Elvis and Princess Diana. I closed the door and left it there where the cat stayed for the rest of the night. I figure at this point, not only am I getting him back for hitting on me, but his cat's safe, too.

"Everyone leaves and Joey _finally_ realizes that the cat has been stuck in the same place in the curio cabinet for the last six hours. He fucking flipped out on James, thinking it was him, while I watched and laughed so hard, I was crying. They both figured out it was me that did it and turned on me. James was cracking up and high fiving me and Joey starts screaming at me about his poor baby being locked up all night and then asks me why I did it.

"All I could say was that I hated fucking cats and that if he ever hit on me again, I'd throw the cat into the river." I took another pull of my beer. "Needless to say, he's not hit on me since and we're actually pretty cool now."

Bella looked as if she couldn't decide if she wanted to laugh or yell at me for doing that to the cat.

"I feel like a goody-goody next to you," she said, eyeing me speculatively. "Anything else I should know about? Cat bombings? Watching bugs fry under a magnifying glass? I mean, you are going to be the father of any future children I might have, I think I should know these things."

"No. Nothing like that," I laughed. "You have nothing to worry about. Any kids we might have will be perfectly normal."

"Wait, what?" Alice asked, waving her hands above her. "What am I missing here?"

"Oh, uh..." I ran my hand through my hair. "Shit." I looked over and laughed at Bella. "We kind of fucked that up, didn't we?"

"What is going on?!" Alice asked again.

Thankfully, Esme and Eli came back out with a huge trifle.

"Oh, good. You're back," I said to Esme. "Mind if we tell them now, before Alice's head explodes?"

Esme looked at Alice's flustered face and laughed. "By all means."

I took Bella's left hand in mine and held it up. "We're getting married," I announced, unable to keep the huge smile off my face.

The entire table erupted in 'Congratulations' and squeals.

"You gave her the Claddagh?" Alice asked. "You suck!"

"Yeah, yeah. You know you had no shot in hell at getting it," I teased.

Alice rolled her eyes and started grilling Bella about the wedding, even though we had only been engaged for a mere twenty-four hours. After a while, I could see Bella's aggravation and decided to intervene.

"Alice, enough. We don't want anything huge so you can just get that idea out of your head right now. And we're not getting married until next year. There's plenty of time to go over the details. So back off."

"Fine," she huffed, walking away.

Bella turned to me and smiled. "Have I mentioned I love you lately?"

"Not since this morning. But I love you, too."

******************************

**Bella**

The knock on the door nearly sent me out of my seat. I took a deep breath and looked over at Edward nervously.

"It'll be fine." He rubbed my hand soothingly with his. "Go answer it."

My heart was pounding so hard my entire body vibrated with its beat. "Yeah. Okay."

I reluctantly got up and went to the door, looking up at Jacob and swallowing convulsively.

"Hey," I squeaked.

"Hey." His brows knit. "What's going on?"

"Um, want to come in?" I asked shakily.

"All right," he said slowly, eyeing me warily. He saw Edward standing in the living room and frowned. "Oh. Hey. Didn't know you were here."

Edward gave him a tight smile back. _Oh boy._

"Where the hell is Eli?" Jacob looked at me accusingly. "What the fuck is going on?"

"Sit down," I instructed. "Eli's with Alice at the park down the street. Edward and I wanted to talk to you about something and I wasn't sure how you'd take it so, I made sure Eli wasn't here. I'll call her and tell her to bring him back when we're finished."

He glared at me and walked to the couch, plopping down. "Fine. I'm sitting. Talk."

I sat in the loveseat and rung my hands together. Edward came over and wrapped his arm around me in support.

"So, um. Edward and I are um..." My heart felt like it was going to leap out of my chest at any second. "We're engaged," I blurted out.

"You're what?" he asked in disbelief.

"Engaged," Edward repeated. "You know, getting married? I asked her to marry me and she said yes..." He was acting like Jacob was an idiot.

"I know what it means," he snapped. "Why?" I started to speak but he stopped me. "You got fucking knocked up, didn't you?"

"No. I'm not pregnant, Jacob. Not that I'm aware of anyway." Edward gave me a funny look. "Look, I know it's sudden, but...I love him."

Jacob sat there, looking stunned for what felt like hours before he finally spoke.

"You son of a bitch!" he yelled at Edward.

"What the fuck did I do?" Edward yelled back.

"You..you..." His veins popped out of his neck and his face was red. He stood up and towered over me.

"Jacob?" I asked timidly.

"You are such a _bitch_!" I gasped. "You knew I was in love with you and you fucking stomped all over me!" He looked at me with a pained expression.

"You better watch your fucking mouth, Jacob Black. I have absolutely no problems beating the shit out of you for her." Edward stood up and glared at him.

"Fuck you, Cullen! If you hadn't stuck your nose where it didn't belong, nothing between Bella and I would have changed!"

Edward laughed darkly. "Keep telling yourself that, Jacob. You brought all this on yourself. You're selfish, deceitful, childish, and immature. Why in God's name would Bella be with someone like _you_?" he spat.

I sat on the couch, unable to grasp the situation at hand. They were nose to nose, hurling insults at each other. Their tense bodies were leaning in towards one another, their hands were curled up at their sides in tight fists, their eyes flashed with hatred. I had to stop it before someone got hurt--most likely Jacob.

"ENOUGH!" I yelled, jumping to my feet. "Jacob, you don't get _any_ say in what I do. I don't love you! I love Edward! I'm sorry it hurts you, but I can't help it! And if you think you deserve any kind of sympathy after what you've done from anyone, especially _me, _you are seriously delusional!" I looked at Edward. "Calm down or I'm going to have to make you go in the other room." He nodded apologetically and stepped back.

"Now, I'm marrying Edward and you'll just have to fucking deal with it. Do you understand me, Jacob?" He nodded mutely. "My lease here is up in November and when that happens, Eli and I are moving into Edward's house."

"You are not taking our son to live with him!" he protested.

"The hell I'm not! I'm marrying him! What difference does it make if we live with him in two months or when we get married? It _is_ going to happen. You might as well get used to the situation."

"What if I don't want to get used to the situation," he countered.

I scoffed loudly. "Too bad!" I took a deep breath to diffuse my temper. "Look, I really, truly am sorry you feel this way about me and I don't feel anything for you in return. But you do not get to make my life hell. Not anymore. The only place you have in my life right now is as my son's father. And shit like this," I motioned broadly with my hands, "is why I don't want to have anything to do with you otherwise. Now, do you have your emotions under control or do I need to ask you to leave--_without Eli_?"

"I'm fine," he muttered.

"Good. Edward, call Alice and tell her it's safe to bring Eli back."

I managed to get Jacob out the door without any further confrontation. I knew Jacob was still irrationally pissed and assumed it would take him a while to get over it. After all, it had only been a couple of months since he dropped the 'I love you' bomb on me. I imagined it would be hard to let go of something that you've held on to for so long, especially when the object of your desire moves on without you so quickly.

I climbed in the bed later that night and snuggled with Edward.

"Are you sure you're fine?" he asked.

"For the millionth time, I'm fine. I told you I didn't think it would go well and it didn't." I slapped him playfully on the chest. "Now stop asking!"

He chuckled. "All right, all right." He cocked his eyebrow and smirked at me. "So. Not that you're aware of?"

"What?" I asked, giggling. I had no clue what he was talking about.

"When Jacob asked if you were pregnant earlier, you said 'No. Not that I'm aware of anyway'," he clarified.

"Oh." I shrugged. "It's not like it's not possible. People have gotten pregnant on birth control before. I'm not supposed to start until next week, so how would I know if I am or not?"

"You're being surprisingly nonchalant for someone who wants to be married before it happens again." He eyed me carefully.

"You're being pretty calm yourself there, Cullen."

I watched the smile play at his lips. "I wouldn't be mad if it happened."

I sat up and looked at him with wide eyes. "What?"

He grinned crookedly. "You heard me." His eyes swept my face, searching for my feelings on the subject. "What about you?"

A little boy with bronze hair and green eyes playing with an older version of Eli flashed through my mind. I loved it.

"I wouldn't be mad either." I blushed.

"Huh," he responded.

We laid there grinning goofily at each other for a while.

He trailed his fingers over my stomach. "You know, practice makes perfect." I laughed loudly. "I'm just saying."

I grabbed the back of his neck and pulled him down to me. "Then I expect us to practice a lot because I want to make sure it happens right away when we get in the game."

He rolled his eyes but smiled widely as he leaned in to kiss me. "That was very corny, you know," he said against my lips.

"Yep." I licked my lips involuntarily. "Now shut up and fuck me, please."

He moaned. "Say that again."

"Fuck me," I whispered.

He pushed his hardness against me. "I'm going to have to now."

I giggled as he rolled us over so that he was now hovering over me. He parted my lips with his, moving his tongue with mine eagerly while he trailed his hand down my side. He reached my panties and he moved his hand between my legs, stroking me through the fabric, making me hotter and wetter with each pass.

He ripped my t-shirt over my head and took my breast in his mouth, sucking my nipple furiously. I couldn't help but moan and wiggle my hips against his hand.

He moved his mouth down my stomach, kissing and licking me as I made his way to my panties. With one quick tug, he yanked them off my body and threw them on the floor.

"You are entirely too good at that," I panted.

He shrugged and gave me a crooked smile as he shimmied out of his boxers. He grabbed my legs and spread them open, looking down at me and licking his lips.

I immediately felt bashful and started to move my hand down my stomach to cover myself up but he gently slapped my hand away.

"Uh-uh. I plan to watch you take me in you tonight."

I groaned. "Edward."

He sat in between my legs on his knees and ran his hands up the insides of my thighs before trailing my slit with his thumbs. He rubbed my clit teasingly with one of his thumbs before dipping it inside me. He pulled it back out and watched the wetness spread when he moved it back to my clit again.

I took his dick in my hand and pumped it twice before he pushed me away, moving closer to me.

He grabbed my hips and pulled me towards him so that my ass was on his thighs and my legs were on each side of him. He took his dick in his hand and rubbed the tip along my slit, before sliding it in to me, watching my body take him in slowly.

I moaned as I watched his eyes blaze.

"I love watching you fuck me," he rasped.

He stayed still inside me as he rubbed my clit with his thumb again. My hips writhed against him and I grabbed on to the pillow above my head.

"Move, Edward. Please, God. Do _something_," I begged. I couldn't take much more.

He pulled out and thrust back into me, using his hands on my hips to guide me. He took my leg and propped my foot on his shoulder as he continued to push in and out of me while he watched, before grabbing my other leg and shifting our bodies so that I was practically folded up on myself.

He shifted himself and slammed into me, making me come hard around him as I moaned and thrashed underneath him, trying to escape the intense waves that crashed over me.

"Ugh. Fuck, Bella!" he shouted.

He kissed me passionately while he continued drive himself into me. He moved away from me and flipped me around, pulling my hair so that my back was arched and my ass was in the air. He got back on his knees and took me again, grunting and grinding his hips every time he connected fully with me.

After a while, I could feel my muscles tightening up around him again, and he moved one of his hands to my clit and rubbed circles in time with each one of his thrusts.

"Edward!" I screamed into the bed as I came again, finally pushing him over the edge.

He thrust forcefully one last time into me while his orgasm pulsed inside me. He groaned loudly as his whole body tightened up and shuddered involuntarily.

He pulled out and rolled to his side of the bed, dragging me with him. My pulse hammered loudly as I snuggled up next to him.

"God, I love practicing with you," I said as I gasped for air.

He laughed with me and nodded vehemently before he kissed my nose. "One of us needs to reach over and turn off the light," he mentioned as he looked up at the ceiling.

Neither of us moved. I looked back at him and we laughed again.

"Well, since neither of us wants to turn the light off yet, want to go again?" he asked deviously.

"Um, duh?" I asked lamely.

***~***

**So this is most likely the last chapter without some stalker action in it. Crazynuts steps up their game in the next chap...it's already partially written.**

**Also, if any of you were offended by the cat story, I'm sorry. Since my friends are a little wild, it actually is a true story. My friend Joe's brother is gay and that's how he treats him. I thought it would be funny to incorporate what Matt (Marine hottie friend) did to his cat one night at a party...since Edward is loosely based on him. Just know, no harm came to the kitty, I swear! He's still alive and sheds everywhere!**


	21. Chapter 21

**Thanks for the reviews! **

**As I said, that was the last chapter without some stalker action. This chapter gave me some issues...I'm all hopped up on cold meds and couldn't seem to get it right. I don't know, it might be okay. You be the judge ;)**

***~***

Chapter 21

**Edward**

I went over to Bella and wrapped my arms around her waist. "You really have to go?" I pouted.

"Yes," she giggled. "I have to get something for Eli to wear this winter. He's grown out of almost all his clothes."

"You hate shopping. Why don't you just stay here with me and let Alice and Rosie go." I nuzzled her neck and placed a few soft kisses in strategic places.

She moaned softly but shook herself out of it. "No. I can't. Alice and Rosalie are expecting a girls day out with Eli."

"What am I going to do all day without you?" I complained.

"What did you do before?" she countered.

"I got drunk," I joked. Her head whipped around and she cocked her eyebrow. "Yeah, okay. Not really. James does like to drink and fuck girls though--a lot."

"Oh, I see. And do you like to drink and fuck girls?" She asked it teasingly, but I could see the curiosity burning in her eyes.

I realized we'd never actually sat down and talked about my sex life before. I had a lot of experience, but most of it was with Tanya as we learned from each other what we liked and disliked in high school and my first couple of years at Annapolis. I'd obviously also had sex with the three other girlfriends I'd had besides Bella and a couple of one night stands, which didn't satisfy me. As much as I enjoyed sex, I didn't enjoy the morning after when you wake up next to someone who's name you can't remember. It just wasn't worth it to me.

"I can't believe we've never talked about this before," I said in astonishment. "We're getting married and I've never talked to you about this."

"Nope," she said, popping the 'p'.

"Well, for one thing, my number is seven. That includes you and every other serious girlfriend I've had plus Tanya and a couple of drunken one night stands, the last of which I don't remember at all." She listened intently. "On that note, you asked if I liked to drink and fuck girls and the obvious answer is no. I usually just hung out until James found a girl to take home. Then I hopped in the Volvo and went home alone. I found it...unappealing. Not to mention unsafe." I flashed her a wide smile. "I don't need something like Gonosyphilherpeaids running ramped in my pants."

She giggled. "Gonosyphilherpeaids, huh?"

I gave her a crooked smile and ran my fingers up her jaw line. "I like to fuck you, though. I _love_ to fuck you."

She whimpered with my words. I leaned down to kiss her, parting her lips and pressing my tongue against hers. I pulled her body closer to mine and cupped her ass, grinding my now rock hard dick against her. I was going to make sure she came back to me as soon as possible.

"Ew. Okay, the knowledge of you doing that and the visual are two different things." Alice was standing in the kitchen, covering her eyes with her hand.

"So don't watch," I mumbled against Bella's mouth.

Bella pulled back, causing me to frown. "I should go tell Eli to put his shoes on so we can leave."

I reluctantly let her go and watched her walk out of my kitchen with Alice. I grabbed a beer out of the fridge and went into the foyer with Rosalie.

"Getting drunk?" she asked with one eyebrow raised.

"No. But it sounds pretty fucking good right about now." I took a pull of my beer.

She rolled her eyes. "It's just one day. They'll be back tonight."

"I know." It didn't make me feel any better though. "What's Emmett up to today?"

"He's supposed to be checking on computers today. Ours crashed." She was fiddling with her fingernails. "Give him a call. I'm sure once he's done, he'll come over. You boys can play video games or whatever it is you do."

"We call strippers, Rose," I deadpanned.

She cracked a smile. "Just make sure they're not skanks."

"No skanks. Got it."

Bella, Alice, and Eli came down the stairs and started out the door. Bella stopped and wrapped her arms around my neck.

"I'll miss you."

I pulled her closer. "I'll miss you. Be careful, okay?"

"Edward, nothing's happened in over a week. I think I'll be fine." She was clearly annoyed with my over protectiveness.

_Too bad._

"Bella," I said seriously. "Just keep an eye out."

"Okay, okay. I don't even know who this is, but I'll keep watch for creepy stalkers. All right?"

"Remember, if it's Jane, she's got short brown hair, brown eyes, and she's tiny. Smaller than you. So if you see some chick that matches that description following you around, call me."

I still had my doubts about Jane's alibi. I didn't know of anyone else it could be besides Jacob--who had the temper of an unhinged gorilla, but didn't have the patience to sit and watch us for _weeks_ without doing anything but send us a couple of pictures. And he had Eli the weekend the picture of us at Willy's was taken.

She nodded. "I will. Promise. Now, go have fun. We'll see you back at my place."

She gave me a quick kiss and darted out the door.

I took another swig of my beer and ran my hand through my hair. I wasn't going to be able to concentrate on shit until she got back home and I knew she was safe with me again.

******************************

I managed to get the grass cut and a shower before finally giving up and laying down on the couch. I couldn't concentrate on anything, just my irrational fear of something happening to Bella and Eli while I wasn't around. Something felt..._off_. I couldn't put my finger on it, but if I had to guess, we'd probably get another photo delivered to us somehow again soon.

I heard the knock on my door, but didn't get up from my spot on the couch.

"Cullen?!" I heard Emmett call from outside.

_Son of a bitch he's loud._

I got up and opened the door to let him in, locking it behind us.

"What the hell are you doing?"

I looked at him strangely. "What does it look like I'm doing? Nothing."

"Why not?" He looked around the house. "Damn, it's dark in here. How much longer do you think you'll have to have the curtains shut at all hours of the day?"

I shrugged. "Until we figure out who's taking the pictures, I guess. I don't want any more pictures of Bella and I naked floating around."

"Don't blame you there." He clapped me on the back. "Let's get the hell out of here, bro. This place is fucking depressing."

"Where do you want to go?"

He grinned at me. "I want to hit the weights."

I couldn't help but smile back. "I think I'll take the bike and follow you. It's pretty nice outside today."

Emmett nodded and left me to quickly change my clothes.

I hopped on my bike and followed Emmett to the gym. Once we got there, I got on one of the treadmills and ran for an hour as fast as I could. I forced myself to think of anything and everything except for crazy ex-girlfriends and potential enemies I never knew I had. I got off, panting loudly.

Emmett looked at me and raised his eyebrows. "Feel better?"

"Yeah, I do actually," I answered honestly.

"Good. Cause whatever mood you've managed to get yourself in is about to disappear."

My brows knit. "What are you talking about?"

Emmett pointed with his head in the direction of the bench presses. "Jacob's here."

I scanned the side of the room and finally found him spotting some big Native American guy. "Jesus, that guy's huge," I muttered.

"Yeah. Whatever they're doing on that reservation is working. Apparently they're all fucking massive." Emmett slapped my chest lightly with the back of his hand. "Come on, let's get out of here."

I honestly didn't want to leave, but I didn't know if I could keep my temper controlled. I was still pretty fucking pissed about the way talked to Bella on Tuesday and I had planned to make sure I was nowhere near him when he came to pick up Eli for the weekend tomorrow.

"Yeah, all right."

We were almost out the door before I heard Jacob calling my name. I grimaced and turned around to face him.

"Look, I don't want to get into any of this shit here," I told him. "I prefer to be able to actually come _back_."

"I'm not starting any shit." He gave me a slight smile. "I just came over here to apologize to you."

I looked at him, completely speechless. Was he fucking serious?

I shook myself out of my daze. "Are you kidding me?"

"No," he said simply.

"What the fuck, Jacob?" His brows knit. "Look, I don't like you." I wanted to make sure we were perfectly clear. "You may be good with Eli, but you've been a pretty shitty father responsibility-wise. Top that off with the fact that you lied to Bella for years and kept her from the chance of having a normal relationship with a guy until I came around, I think it's pretty safe to say no amount of apologizing is going to change my opinion of you. Sorry."

He rolled his eyes. "I don't care if you like me or not, Cullen. I don't particularly care for you, either. But I shouldn't have acted like that about you and Bella getting married. It may hurt me, but I can see how happy you make her so I'm just going to have to learn to let it go."

I eyed him warily. "So, let's say we up and got married on a whim instead of planning a wedding. Or Bella got pregnant. You wouldn't freak out like that again?"

"I'd try not to."

I stared at him for a moment, trying to judge whether or not I believed him. I quickly realized I did.

_Huh._

"Why the sudden change?" I asked him.

He shrugged. "Let's just say someone pointed out how much of an idiot I was being." He looked at the big Quiluete guy next to him.

He held out his hand for me to shake it. "Quil Ateara. I guess you're Bella's Edward?"

I shook his hand uncertainly. "Yeah?"

"Nice to meet you, man. I've known Bella for years. I grew up with this asshole here on the rez." He looked over at Jacob. "Bella's a great girl. I guess I don't have to tell you that if you hurt her, I'll fly back from La Push and kick your ass, right?"

I laughed. I liked the guy, even if he was friends with Jacob. "No ass-kicking necessary." I looked back at Emmett who was watching us carefully at his truck. "I'd better get going. It was nice to meet you, Quil."

"You, too," he said smiling.

I looked at Jacob seriously. "You need to apologize to Bella, not me."

"I know. I will."

I walked over to Emmett who looked me over curiously. "What the fuck was that about?"

"Would you believe it if I told you Jacob apologized for his reaction to Bella's and my engagement?" I asked him, laughing.

"No. Probably not," he said with a frown.

"Didn't think so."

******************************

**Bella**

Six hours. I'd been shopping with Alice and Rosalie for six hours. It was the worst form of torture imaginable. Not only was I doing something I hated, but my feet hurt, my legs were tired, I was starving, and I was officially broke.

"Alice, I'm sick of shopping. Can't we just go now?"

I was dragging all of the bags on the floor now. My arms were too tired to pick them up. I had somehow let Alice talk me into not only shopping for Eli, but for myself as well.

"One more stop and then we'll go get something to eat. I promise." She glanced at me behind her but never stopped walking.

I saw a small woman with short brown hair walk by and I followed her with my eyes. I couldn't help but wonder if any of the women fitting Edward's description was Jane. I seriously hoped not.

"Hey, have either of you guys ever seen Jane?" I don't know why I didn't think to ask this earlier.

"No, I never went with Emmett to visit Edward in Maryland. Sorry." Rosalie gave me a slight smile.

"I went with my parents, but Jane never was around. I think I might have seen a picture of her once, but I can't really remember what she looked like." Alice's brows furrowed. "We're a lot of help, aren't we?"

"That's okay," I sighed. "It's probably not her, anyway. I mean, she did have an alibi and all."

Rosalie squeezed my shoulder reassuringly. "They'll figure out who it is. Then you and Edward can get married in peace."

"Thanks."

Alice had me try on about thirty different things at Neiman Marcus. I tried to tell her I couldn't afford them, but she just waved me off, telling me something about her discount. I ended up getting half of what I tried on and was completely shocked at the prices. Alice's discount much be huge.

We stopped and picked up something to eat to take back to my apartment. While we were waiting for our order, I felt my phone buzzing in my pocket.

"Hello?"

"Bella! You need to get back here, quick!" I heard the complex's manager, Eric Yorkie's hysterical voice on the other end.

"Eric! Why? What's going on?"

"Just...you need to come home." I heard voices in the background and Eric talking quietly to them.

"What happened?!" I asked frantically.

"Someone broke into your townhouse and they..." He trailed off. "Just hurry up, all right? The police are already here."

"I'm on my way."

I put my phone back in my pocket and looked at Alice and Rosalie. I have no idea what expression was on my face, but it must've been bad, considering Alice and Rosalie dropped the bags of food on the floor and rushed over to me.

"What's wrong?" Rosalie asked.

"I got a phone call from Eric saying I needed to get back home immediately." I looked into Alice's wide blue eyes. "Someone broke into my house." I said with tears forming in my eyes.

"Oh my God. Okay, sweetie. Let's go."

We all hopped in my car and I raced back to my townhouse, disregarding all speed limits in my rush to get home. I pulled in the parking lot and saw the complex swarming with police officers and fire fighters.

_Fire fighters._

The lump rose in my throat and I swallowed convulsively, trying to rid myself of it.

I parked and we all got out. I started to walk towards my apartment and stopped.

"Rosie? Will you keep Eli over here?" I asked shakily.

"Sure, Bella."

Alice and I continued our way through the sea of police officers and fire fighters, stepping over hoses and other miscellaneous equipment, until we came across the yellow caution tape. I started to duck under it, only to be stopped by an officer behind me.

He grabbed my arm and pulled me back up. "You can't go in there, Miss. This is an official crime scene."

I balked. "I live here!"

"You're Miss Swan?" I nodded. "Follow me." He looked over at Alice. "She stays out here."

I started to open my mouth in protest, but Alice stopped me. "It's fine, Bella. I'll wait out here with Rosie and Eli."

I hugged her and followed the man under the tape to my townhouse. I started to walk towards the door but the officer held me back.

"You know, that's really getting old." I glared down at his arm.

"What?"

"You keep touching me," I clarified. "Don't."

My entire body was swimming with mixed emotions. Anger, fear, sadness, uncertainty, confusion. I didn't need some rookie cop's grubby hands all over me.

He pulled his arm back. "Sorry. Um, let me just go get Detective Mancini. I'll be right back."

I stood there silently waiting for someone to tell me what the extent of the damage was. By the looks of things, it must've been pretty bad.

I looked at the destroyed lock and splintered wood of my blackened front door and felt the panic rise in the back of my throat. I was no longer safe. Edward was no longer safe. My _son_ was no longer safe.

I swallowed back the sob that tried to escape my throat and wiped the tears away from my eyes. I didn't even know what had happened inside yet; I needed to try to be calm.

"Miss Swan!" Detective Mancini came out of my townhouse and pulled off the latex gloves he was wearing. His long, dark brown hair was tied back and he looked completely frazzled. "You can come inside. But don't touch anything. We're still trying to determine the structural damage and collecting evidence downstairs. It looks like the fire was started upstairs in the bedroom."

"Oh, God," I whimpered.

He turned his head back towards my townhouse and yelled for everyone to get out. Once everyone had filed out, he motioned for me to follow him.

I nodded, unable to speak. I went up the steps and through the door, only to stop short and cry out in shock. I looked around my destroyed living room, struggling to find any piece of my life left untouched.

Every photo was ripped or burned; every frame broken. My computer looked as if someone had taken a baseball bat to it and was actually smoking slightly. I looked over at my entertainment center and saw that my TV and DVD player were in much of the same condition.

All of my DVD's were scattered in broken pieces on the floor along with the stuffing to my couch and loveseat, which now had huge gashes in almost every visible area, as if a machete had sliced through the brown fabric over and over. I glanced over in the corner and saw all of Eli's toys were missing. I vaguely noticed the room had a strange rusty smell to it along with the scent of charred wood.

"Is that paint?" I asked timidly, praying that the red that was splattered on my smoke-colored walls was a couple of gallons of barn paint.

"No," he said apologetically. "Pigs' blood."

I gasped unevenly. "As in _Carrie_ pigs' blood?"

He nodded and I felt my chest heave uncontrollably while my eyes filled with tears, spilling down my cheeks in a torrent of salty water. I bent down and put my hands on my knees, trying to breathe.

"Miss Swan. Calm down. Do you need to go outside?" I felt the detective's hand rest lightly on my back. "It's not necessary for you to see this."

I swallowed hard. I wanted to see what had been done to my home. I _needed_ to see it.

"No. I need to see it." I stood up, swaying slightly, and wiped my face free of tears as I inhaled deeply. "Please."

"Very well."

He led me through the rest of the house, which looked much of the same. There wasn't a single thing that had been left untouched. Whoever had done this, had done and extremely thorough job in destroying everything I owned. It was all ripped, burned, shredded, bent, broken, spray-painted, and smashed--utterly ruined.

We got to my bedroom and paused.

"This is where the fire started," he stated.

I felt my chin tremble and I bit down on my lip to stop it. "Just show it to me, Detective."

He cleared his throat. "Aro, please, Bella. No need for the formality."

I nodded again, struggling to keep my composure and followed him into my bedroom. My bed looked like someone had taken a torch to it. It was completely black; the canopy had collapsed in on itself and fell to the mattress. All the drawers on the charred dresser were open, revealing their emptiness.

I walked over to the closet and saw that it was empty as well.

"Where are all my clothes?" I cried.

Aro pointed to the bed. "They were burned on the bed."

I let the pain wash over me for a moment, vaguely aware of the sobs ripping from my chest. Aro placed his hand on my back again, waiting patiently for me to get myself together.

I took a deep breath and turned to face him. "Tell me what you know," I demanded angrily.

"We had the Fire Marshall come in to determine arson and we are investigating it as part of yours and Dr. Cullen's open case file. It was obvious, but there are technicalities we have to follow." He gave me a tight smile. "The perps started the fire on the bed, using gasoline as the accelerant and a simple match to start it."

"Wait, _perps_? As in plural?"I interrupted.

"Yes, I'll get to that in a moment. The fire spread throughout the room quickly, but was mostly contained upstairs thanks to the diligence of Mr. Yorkie." He pointed to the large hole in the ceiling. "He noticed the smoke immediately and called 9-1-1." I nodded and waited silently for him to continue.

"Obviously the perps went through your home and destroyed everything they could before starting the fire. We estimate that they were inside for approximately four hours after you left with your son before starting the fire." He started out the room and down the stairs. I numbly followed him.

He led me to the kitchen and stopped at the table. "We found a bug in the vent in the floor next to your table. Whoever this was has been listening to you for a while and knew exactly what you were doing today. They also knew both of your neighbors work schedule and waited until they had left for work before breaking into your home."

He walked into the living room where they paint was and stopped. "They're smart, but not that smart. They left prints in the blood." I looked down at the carpet and saw footprints--large ones. "We also found a hair follicle in the kitchen that doesn't match yours or your son's." I looked at him blankly. "It's blond, Bella."

"Blond?" My mind raced through everyone I knew with blond hair. "How long?"

"Short, approximately three inches."

"I...I don't know anyone with short blond hair. Everyone I know with blond hair has long hair."

He frowned, clearly disappointed. "What about your boyfriend?"

"Um, fiancé, actually," I corrected him. "I don't know. You'll have to ask him."

His face lit up. "Well, this is a horrible time to tell you this, but congratulations, Bella."

"Thanks. Um, speaking of Edward, why did this happen here instead of his house?" I quickly realized how bad that sounded. "Not that I wish it would've happened there," I hurried.

He chuckled. "I have a theory on that, actually. My guess is that since Dr. Cullen has the added protection of a security system and motion-activated cameras outside, they chose the easier target."

"Oh," I said dumbly.

"Bella! Bella!" I heard Edward's panicked voice outside.

I didn't have a chance to even process what I was doing before I found myself halfway out the door and running full speed to him. I ducked under the tape and wrapped my arms around him, burying my face in his chest.

I started sobbing again and felt his strong arms wrap around me tightly.

"Baby? What the hell happened?" he asked in alarm.

I raised my head and tried to see him, but my vision was flooded with my tears. "My...my ho-house was br-br-broke in...to. They des-des...troyed everything! And set my b-bed on f-f-fire!" I screeched, hiccupping my words as my chest still heaved uncontrollably.

"Oh, God," he whispered, hugging me tightly against his chest. "Thank God you weren't home." His voice broke.

I stood there with Edward, crying softly as my brain processed what had happened. He hummed something soothingly to me as he ran his fingers through my hair and kept me tight against his body, letting me cry it out.

I finally managed to calm myself down and stepped back to look at his face. His eyes met mine and I gasped softly at the pain that they held.

"I'm sorry," he choked out.

"Why?"

"I had a feeling today that something was going to happen, but I didn't say anything," he said guiltily.

"It's not your fault. How were you to know it would be this?"

"I should have called Aro." He looked at me with such sadness. "This happened to you because you met me."

"No. This is happening because someone is fucking nuts," I said adamantly. "On the bright side, we get to move in with you now. And I don't have to have a moving sale or anything. Just me, Eli, and the shit we bought with Alice today." I tried to smile, but it came out as a grimace.

"Bella..." He took a deep breath. "So, what did Aro say?"

"That they left footprints and a hair behind. Short, blond hair. About three inches in length. Got any ideas?" I asked hopelessly.

"At the moment, no." His eyes raised to where Aro was standing. "We should go talk to him now."

I nodded and started to walk away, only to feel Edward tugging me back towards him. He spun me around and kissed me passionately, cupping my face in his hands.

"I love you. If anything would have happened to you or Eli, I don't know what I would have done."

I took a shaky breath. "I love you." I sighed heavily. "Come on, you need to hear everything from Aro. He can explain it better than I can."


	22. Chapter 22

**So apparently my second-guessing was for nothing...you guys rock with the reviews! :)**

**Here's the rest of the day, plus a little of the next day and a lemon. It's all romantic and stuff so I'm not sure about it. Nothing like I normally write, lol**

***~***

Chapter 22

**Bella**

Aro explained everything in detail to Edward before taking him through my house. I stayed outside. I didn't want to go back in there.

When he finally came back outside, I took a step back in fear before realizing how irrational it was. Edward's eyes burned with rage, his jaw was clenched; nostrils flared. His entire body looked coiled to spring as he examined the crowd meticulously.

He slowly came over to me and I reached out and laid my hand on one of the tight fists at his sides. He yanked it back, glaring at me, until he registered what he'd done. The anger on his face morphed instantly into regret.

"I'm sorry," he said, reaching out to me. "I'm just so fucking pissed off right now, I can barely see straight."

"It's okay. I understand."

He exhaled sharply through his nose. "Aro's sending a team over to my house to sweep for any bugs that might have been planted in my house before I got the security system. And he'd like us to stop by the station sometime tomorrow to run a few questions by us formally.

"In the meantime, why don't we go run over to Target or someplace so that we can get you and Eli some of the stuff you'll need and get something to eat while we wait for them to finish up at my house."

"I'm not really hungry," I said softly.

"Humor me." He looked at me heatedly.

I nodded my head, knowing that he wouldn't be satisfied until I ate something, and followed him over to where Rosalie and Alice were standing with Eli.

"What happened?" Alice asked Edward.

"Someone broke into Bella's house and vandalized it before setting her bedroom on fire. There's nothing left. The police did find footprints and some hair that they are having forensics examine. Maybe we'll figure out who it is that keeps fucking with us," he said coldly.

"Oh my God," she whispered.

Eli's eyes widened with Edward's words and looked at me. "Mommy? Where are all my toys?"

I crouched down and pulled him into my arms. "They're gone, baby. Whoever did this took all the ones downstairs with them and the ones in your room melted in the fire."

"Why?" he asked, starting to cry.

I looked up at Edward who was watching us with tears in his eyes. He crouched down with us and put his arms around both of us.

"I don't know, buddy." He gave Eli a grim smile and wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. "How about we go pick you out a few new ones for my house? You and Mom are going to live with me now. Is that okay?"

"Yeah." He smiled at Edward sadly.

Edward stood up and pinched the bridge of his nose, squeezing his eyes shut while taking deep, calming breaths. We all stood there quietly as he tried to regain his self-control.

"All right. Let's go." He looked back at the shell that was my home. "I can't be around this anymore."

Edward instructed Alice and Rosalie to go home and tell Jasper and Emmett what happened. He wasn't sure he could repeat it over and over without breaking down.

I listened to him tell Carlisle what happened on our way to Target, discussing it emotionlessly, as if it was something he'd heard on the nightly news. I felt the sharp pang of my heart cracking, but quickly reminded myself that it was most likely his way of coping with the situation. Whereas I was a scared, emotional wreck; Edward was detached.

I picked my cell phone up from my lap and looked at it dejectedly. I was not looking forward to calling Charlie, but couldn't keep the situation from him any longer.

"Hello?" I silently cried. "Bells?"

"Daddy?" My voice trembled and I sniffled. I hadn't called him 'Daddy' since I was a little girl.

"Bella?" His voice was immediately panicked. "Did something happen to Eli? To Edward?"

"No, they're fine. I...There..." I stumbled on my words. I felt Edward's hand reach over and grab mine, squeezing it gently. "Someone broke into my house and started a fire. Everything's gone," I cried.

"Jesus, Bella. But you guys are okay, right?"

"Yeah. We're fine. We weren't home. We were shopping," I explained.

"I don't understand how this could have happened," he said angrily. "You live in a great area."

"Listen, Dad. There's something I need to tell you. I haven't said anything because I didn't want you to worry about us." I explained everything from him, starting from the day Edward saw Jane at the aquarium.

"You think it was the ex?" he asked when I was through.

"Edward does. I don't know who it is."

"You should have told me all this. I could have tried to help catch this freak!" he yelled at me.

"Dad, you're two thousand miles away. There's nothing you could have done. Chicago's not exactly your jurisdiction."

He laughed once. "True. Can I at least have the names of the detectives working the case? I'd like to do a little research on them to make sure they have a good arrest record."

"Sure. Aro Mancini is the lead detective and his partner is Marcus Schaeffer."

I could hear him scribbling down the names. "Okay. Be careful, all right? I take it you'll be moving in with Edward?"

"Yeah."

"Okay," he said again. "Is there anything you need me to do?"

I felt comforted with his offer. "No. Thanks, though."

"Well, all right," he said reluctantly. "Let me know if you hear anything. Please."

"I will."

I hung up the phone just as we were pulling in the parking lot. I walked through the store in a daze, randomly picking out things for Eli and myself to replace some of our pajamas, underwear, and toiletries that we didn't already have at Edward's. Eli picked out a few cars and a couple of larger toys with Edward's help. I was pretty much useless.

"Bella?" Edward took my hand. "How're you doing?"

I leaned over and cried softly into his chest. "I'm fine. Can't you tell?"

He exhaled in relief. "At least you're crying and making jokes. I thought you were going into shock for a minute there."

I looked up at him and saw him scrutinize my face. "No," I sighed. "But it would be nice to escape reality for a while."

I felt Eli's small arms wrap around my waist. He looked up and me and smiled. "It's okay, Momma. It's just stuff. We can get more. See?" He pointed to the cart full of items we'd put in there.

"You're right. We can always get more stuff." I leaned down and kissed the top of his head.

Eli's words actually made me feel better about the situation. It was hard to think that every keepsake and photo I had was gone, but I was pretty sure that I could get copies of the majority of the pictures from my friends and family. I just hated that someone destroyed all of Eli's stuff, along with mine, in their quest to scare me away from Edward.

"Let's go pay for all this junk." We started to walk past the electronics section. "Eli? Want to pick out a couple DVD's to take home with us?"

"Yeah!" He rushed over to the movies and started scanning the shelves.

Edward's eyes darted over to me and I saw them light up. He pressed his lips in a tight line, trying not to smile.

"What?" I smiled at him. "What are you trying to hide?"

His entire face lit up with the smile that he finally allowed to cross his face. "I really hate that it had to happen this way, but you and Eli are living with me. You called it home just now. It made me happy." I watched the guilt flash through his eyes. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't be happy that someone destroyed everything you own. And I'm not, I-"

I cut him off with a kiss. " I know you're not." I laughed--it felt good. "I'm happy we're going to live with you, too."

We checked out and stopped by McDonald's and let Eli play for a little bit on our way home. We figured he deserved some sort of treat after everything he'd been through today, even though I was pretty sure he didn't understand exactly what had happend. Just that our house caught on fire and all of our stuff was destroyed.

Edward got a phone call from Aro telling him that they found two bugs in Edward's house. One in the kitchen and another in the bedroom. I practically puked at the thought of someone listening to Edward and I having sex. He also informed him that there would be police patrolling Edward's neighborhood constantly. He was not going to let anything like what happened to my townhouse happen to Edward's house, too.

We finally got home, quickly unloading everything and opening Eli's toys for him. I got Eli bathed and in the bed and went downstairs to take a shower. I felt grimy after everything I'd walked through this afternoon.

I washed and rinsed my hair and grabbed the loufa from the hook. Images of my broken family photos started rushing through my mind before I saw Eli's burnt room. I plopped down on the floor of the shower and let the water run down my back. I was no longer upset. I was furious that someone would leave absolutely _nothing_ for me to salvage.

How much hatred did this person have for Edward and me to do something like this? And exactly how psychotic were they? Was it just property damage that we had to worry about? Or would this escalate into physical harm? How long did I have to fear for the safety of my family before it was all said and done?

I gritted my teeth together, trying to control the rage that surged through me. I needed to hit something--some_one_. I stared at the floor as I thought about different scenarios where I punched the faceless psycho over and over again. Better yet, I thought of one involving a gun and a lot of blood.

I wasn't sure how long I sat there, letting my mind wander through the violent thoughts. I was vaguely aware that I was now freezing and could feel my teeth chattering, but made no move to get up.

I heard the door to the shower open but didn't turn around. "This is the second time I've seen you sitting on the floor of my shower since we started dating. Something tells me that's not exactly healthy."

I looked up and glared at Edward. "I need you to teach me how to use a gun."

He shook his head. "I don't think so." I started to argue but he ignored me. "You, guns. No. Not taking the chance."

"Edward!" I protested. "What if you're not with me? I need to know how to protect myself and Eli!"

He grumbled in frustration and turned off the shower. "The thought of you dropping it after you've turned off the safety and harming yourself makes me sick to my stomach. I don't think I can do it, Bella."

I let him pull me up and wrap the towel around me. "I'll get Emmett to teach me." It was a low blow, but I _needed_ this.

"Oh, come on, baby," he groaned. "Don't make me do this! The thought of seeing you having to defend yourself..." he trailed off. "Please. I can't." I could see the pain in his eyes and immediately regretted my words.

"All right. No guns. I'm sorry."

"Thank you," he said, his entire body relaxing. He put his arms around me and kissed my cheek. "I take it you've passed the phase where you cry your eyes out and are now pissed at the world?"

"Yep." I yawned. Now that I'd given myself over to the onslaught of emotions I was faced with today, I was suddenly so tired, I could barely keep my eyes open. "And sleepy, too."

He gave me a crooked grin. "Come on, sweetheart. Let's get you to bed."

I let Edward dress me and put me in the bed after I managed to brush my teeth. I was so exhausted and emotionally drained, I never even felt his body curl up behind me, holding on to me tightly.

******************************

**Edward**

I woke up, tangled up in Bella's arms and felt everything from yesterday come crashing down on me. I'd managed to keep my anger in check and focus only on Bella, making sure she didn't go into shock or have some sort of emotional breakdown--which I knew she was close to. But now that I knew she would be feeling better after purging herself of her sadness yesterday, I allowed the rage that I had fought with for so many hours to finally rise to the surface.

_Jane._

_Jane fucking Ryan._

I didn't care anymore that she had an alibi for that first photo. This--stalking and destroying a person's home--was too much like her past actions for me to think of anyone else.

_But what was with the fucking blond hair?_

Next, she was going to try to hurt one of us. And I couldn't let that be Bella or Eli.

I slowly sat up and looked down at my fiancée's sleeping face. I couldn't imagine not being able to see it every single day. To touch the scarlet blush that spread along her cheeks. To taste that incredibly sweet mouth.

I felt the pain rip through my chest and bit down on my hand to keep from crying out loud.

_Fuck this._

I quietly got up and went to my computer, looking for flights to Texas. If the police didn't think Jane was worth a visit, then I'd just go see her myself.

I was in the middle of booking a flight scheduled for later in the day when I felt Bella's hand grip my shoulder.

"What are you doing?" She yawned sleepily.

"I'm going to Texas," I growled.

She spun me around in the chair and sat on my lap, taking my face in her hands and looking at me intently.

"No, you're not."

I looked away. "I have to. I'm not going to let Jane hurt you."

"First of all, we don't even know if it's Jane or not. Secondly, you are not leaving me here alone with some psycho running around!"

_Shit._ She was right. I couldn't leave Eli and her alone with some crazy person running around.

"Fine," I ground out, unhappy with the situation. "But if Aro doesn't look into Jane a little more, so help me I'm catching the first flight to Dallas and talking to Jane myself." I took a deep breath. "I'll be damned if I let her fuck with you anymore."

"I know."

She kissed me softly, coaxing me out of my angered state by running her tongue across my lips. I relented and kissed her back, savoring the taste of her tongue on mine and felt a frenzy of emotions swell in my chest as I listened to her moan and press herself closer against me.

She ran her fingers through my hair and tugged slightly, making my fingers curl at her back and grasp at her t-shirt. I released the fabric from my grip and made my way down her back, running my hands lightly over the swell of her ass before picking her up and carrying her to the bedroom.

We quickly stripped out of our clothes, running our eyes over each other's body's appreciatively. I picked her up and laid her reverently on the bed and climbed in between her legs, trailing my fingers over her skin religiously as I dipped my head down and kissed her neck, collarbone, and jaw line, making the circuit over and over again while I reveled in her sweet scent.

"Edward," she moaned. I would never tire of hearing my name on her lips.

I moved my mouth to hers, adjusting my body so that I was positioned just at her entrance and lightly ran my hand along her breast, teasing her nipple with my fingers, before I skimmed the skin of her arm with my fingers and took her hand in mine.

I brought our joined hands above our heads and braced myself as I pushed inside her. My eyes locked with hers, communicating wordlessly, as soon as our bodies became one.

I continued to slowly thrust in and out of her, savoring the moment. I was unable to do anything but worship the beautiful woman before me. My love for her washed over me as I felt her muscles tighten around me and I struggled to breathe. I looked down into her eyes and felt our souls touch; I thought I would drown in her amazing brown orbs.

"A ghrá," I moaned, hearing my voice inflicted with pain, "I..." I couldn't say anything. Words didn't even come close to describing what I was feeling.

She cried out as she came, pulsing around me, and I could no longer hold on. I came with her, almost painfully with all of the emotions I was feeling. I stilled inside her and heard myself let out a low, guttural moan while my orgasm continued to pulse through me.

I leaned down and kissed her gently, awed at what had just happened. I had never felt anything more powerful in all my life. My natural male instincts always took over, inhibiting me from any emotion other than pure unadulterated want and desire. But this time was so completely different. It was as if my heart was afraid that its sole purpose in beating was going to disappear at any given second.

"God, I love you. So fucking much," I said, gazing into her eyes.

"I love you," she said, her voice breaking slightly. She pulled back a little and bit her lip as she looked at me for a moment. "Are you scared?" she asked hesitantly.

"No."

The word came out of my mouth before I could stop myself. As soon as I said it, I immediately knew it was a lie. All the emotion I had felt when I made love to her just now was brought on by fear. Fear of something happening to Bella. To Eli. Fear that something would happen to me and I would leave Bella to face this alone.

"Yes," I corrected myself. "I'm scared of losing you. Of losing Eli." My voice was still thick with the emotions I couldn't even begin to comprehend.

"Me, too," she whispered softly.

I looked at the dark shadows under her bloodshot eyes and ran my fingers over them, frowning. "What are you doing up, anyway? You should still be sleeping."

She shrugged. "You weren't with me," she said simply.

I knew exactly how she felt. I held on to her last night during my sleep as if something was going to come in at any second and rip us apart. The thought of being away from her during this for any given amount of time caused an actual physical ache to burn through my chest. How was I going to be able to cope while Bella was at work? While _I_ was at work? When Eli went to school or went to Jacob's for the weekends?

_Fuck._ I was going to give myself an ulcer. I needed to get a hold of these emotions that I was feeling. This was not the first time I'd feared for Bella and Eli's safety since I first saw Jane those few weeks ago. And so far, it was nothing but scare tactics.

_But what if..._

"Let's just move," I blurted out.

"What?" She looked at me incredulously. "Like hiding?"

Well, when she put it that was, it sounded pretty fucking cowardly. And I was anything but.

I was suddenly bombarded with images from my time in Iraq...

I thought of the random roadside bombings we'd encounter, moving the wounded from place to place. Of watching the truck in front of you explode without warning while the entire group of people you were with screamed and yelled as they ducked and grabbed their guns, firing rapidly into the seemingly empty distance. That moment you realized that no amount of training could have prepared you for the absolute terror you felt as you poured all your concentration on keeping the patients safe, comfortable, and _alive_.

I was only sent out on a few missions, but I could recall each of them clearly. I thanked God each and every night that I had not specialized in emergency medicine. I couldn't imagine having to barge into some Iraqi's home, only to find yourself face to face with the barrel of a semi-automatic while it's owner screamed something incoherent at you in Arabic. Or watching a little boy come around the corner and shoot one of your _brothers_ in the knee before he turned and pointed it at you, causing you to react the only way you knew how--by taking the shot and eliminating the threat. I thought of the boy's agonized scream as he fell and his black, lifeless eyes staring back at me from across the room as I focused on stopping the bleeding of the other men with me--the men that entrusted their lives to me.

I shuddered involuntarily with the guilt that weighed me down.

No, I wasn't hiding from this. I'd been in Iraq for three years, for God's sake, and faced much, much worse. I could handle this.

"No. We're not hiding," I finally answered her. "Maybe you and Eli could go somewhere. Someplace safe where Jane can't find you."

"No," she argued. "We're not going anywhere without you."

My eyes swept over her face. Her eyes were steady and she set her jaw determinately. There was no way I was going to convince her otherwise.

"All right. So that option's out." I pushed the stray hair away from her face and closed my eyes. "Let's just try to get through this with as much normalcy as possible. We'll know more after we speak to Aro later this afternoon. And there's still the fact that you haven't spoken to Jacob yet."

"Oh, God. How's he going to react this time?" I could hear the panic in her voice. "Is he going to try to hit you this time? Keep Eli from you?"

I moved off of her so that I was lying next to her, pulling her against me while I thought about it. "Well, honestly, I have no idea. He seems to follow a pattern and react to everything with anger. But Bella," I looked intensely into her eyes, "he came and apologized to me at the gym yesterday for the way he reacted to us getting married. And he plans to apologize to you, too."

She gasped. "What? Why?"

I shrugged. "I honestly don't know. He had some Quil guy with him though, if that helps."

"Quil's here?" She smiled genuinely. "Maybe he talked some sense into him." Her eyes twinkled with excitement. "I can't wait to see him!"

I chuckled. "Remind me to thank Quil later."

Her brows knit. "Why?"

"For bringing that smile to your face." The alarm went off and I quickly reached over Bella to turn it off. "Time to get Eli up for school."

******************************

We got to the station and found Emmett waiting for us outside, propped up against the wall with his arms across his chest. As soon as his eyes focused on Bella, he pushed off the wall and moved over towards us.

"Belly Bean," he said, taking her and crushing her in his arms. "How are you holding up?"

"I'm fine, Em." I heard her try to gasp for air. "I'd be better if I could breathe, though."

"Oh, right. Sorry." He released her and looked at me. "How're you doing?"

"As well as expected, I suppose."

He nodded. "Still think it's Jane?"

"Yup." And I planned to tell that to Aro right now.

Emmett led us into the station , bypassing the metal detectors and door security as he led us to Aro's desk. We walked up and saw him hunched over his desk, studying the paperwork that was spread out in front of him. His head snapped up in our direction as he heard us approach. He smiled brightly, but it didn't reach his eyes. He looked fucking exhausted.

"Bella. Edward. Thanks for coming in." He looked at Emmett. "Thanks for escorting them in, Emmett."

"No prob. I'll be back in the lounge getting a drink if anyone needs me."

Aro watched my brother walk away before turning back to us. "Please. Sit down." He motioned to the chairs.

We silently sat. I took Bella's hand in mine to keep her from fidgeting nervously with her fingernails. I needed to feel her skin touching mine, causing that hum of electricity to run through my body, so that I could focus on something other than my own anxiety.

"I've been working on your case all night." He cleared his throat. "I accompanied the insurance adjustor to your home this morning, Bella."

"Oh?" She seemed surprised.

"Just had to make sure that no one got hurt," he chuckled. "Anyways, it sounds like you'll be getting a phone call sometime later this week to answer a few questions, and after that, you should be getting the full amount of your renter's insurance to cover the personal items that were damaged."

"Oh, thank God," she said softly, squeezing my hand. I looked over at her and smiled at the relief that her eyes held.

He pulled out a pad of paper and a pen. "I need to ask you two a few questions about the events yesterday. Times that you left your home, people you spoke to, places you went. Just the usual."

We answered every single question as thoroughly as we could, holding nothing back. Bella and I seemed to be perfectly in sync as we answered, wanting to give Aro any information that might help close the case faster.

"Now, I put a rush on the lab to get the results of the hair sample back." He sat back in his chair and grinned. "We have a match."

It was all I could do to keep my ass plastered to the seat as I sat up in my chair. "Who?"

"Demetri Markinov. Ever heard of him?"

I shook my head as Bella answered. "No. Who is he?"

He took a file out from under the stack of papers on his desk and opened it, revealing a mug shot of a large, muscular man with dark black hair and cruel brown eyes. Bella and I both examined the picture and looked at one another.

"I don't understand. We don't know this man. And he doesn't have blond hair." Bella looked at Aro in puzzlement.

"Hair dye, love," I whispered. Her face flushed at her obvious oversight.

"Yes!" Aro exclaimed, beaming at me. "I believe this man was hired along with someone else to destroy your townhouse, Bella."

"But why?" Bella asked.

"Money. Why else?" Aro looked over at me. "Someone wants to keep their hands clean. We just have to find out who."

"Jane," I said firmly, holding his gaze.

"It's a very likely possibility, Edward."

"When?" I asked.

"Right now. Care to join me?"


	23. Chapter 23

**Sorry for the little cliffy...the chapter would have been way too long to include the rest of their day at the police station. If you wanted to see Edward get a punch in on someone...here's your chance **

**Thanks for the reviews! I love them!**

***~***

Chapter 23

**Edward**

"Are you serious?" I asked in disbelief.

"Of course. You and Bella may go back and sit with the Captain while Marcus and I interview Markinov."

I looked at Bella for the answer. "You want to go?" she asked me quietly. I nodded my head vehemently. "Well, all right."

I instantly felt horrible. "Bella, we don't have to go if you don't want to. We can sit out here or just go home. Whatever you'd like."

She debated it for a moment before she looked back at me. "No. I want to go," she said firmly.

"Wonderful!" Aro exclaimed. "I do love an audience," he chuckled.

I cocked my eyebrow at him but said nothing. _Weirdo._

Detective Schaeffer came up and spoke quietly with Aro, looking at us blankly as he did.

"All right. Marcus has just informed me that we will be conducting the interview in room three. If you all would just follow me, I'll show you to where Captain Bennett is waiting for you."

We nodded and followed him quietly down the hall until we reached a metal green door. Aro took out a set of keys and unlocked it, motioning us to go in as he opened it.

We walked inside and saw the white-haired Captain waiting for us on the other side.

"Edward. I'd say it was nice to see you again, but it's not. I'd rather this case was solved so that my detectives could be busying themselves with some of the other cases we've got stacked up around here."

I bit back a laugh. "I understand, sir."

He nodded. "I take it this is Bella?" He pointed at Bella who stood stiffly by my side.

"It is."

He held out his hand to her. "Nice to meet you, Bella. This man's brother doesn't shut the hell up about you. Quite annoying, actually."

She timidly shook his hand. "Um, thank you, I think. It's nice to meet you, too, Captain."

He shook his head. "Call me Caius, please." He looked past us, to the door. "Aro seems to have taken a liking to the two of you."

Bella and I looked at each other in confusion.

"Well, back to the business at hand. Recognize this man?" he asked, pointing at the man behind the one way glass.

"No," we answered in unison.

I looked at the man sitting at the table and felt the fury pound at my body. His once shoulder-length dark hair was dyed platinum blond and he sat there, tapping the table and whistling as if he didn't have a care in the world.

Bella must have sensed my anger and laid her hand softly on my arm, effectively reigning me in. I looked down at her and saw her lips turn up slightly before she quickly looked back at Demetri, furrowing her brows.

_Put it away and focus on Bella._

"Are you okay?" I whispered in her ear.

She nodded. "I can't believe that's him," she whispered back.

"I know."

Aro and Marcus came through the door, their hands full of files. Marcus silently put his paperwork on the table and took his place in the corner of the room, while Aro sat down directly in front of Demetri.

"Demetri!" Aro greeted him. "It's been a while since I've seen you. What have you been up to?"

"Same ol', same ol'," Demetri replied indifferently.

"Yes, I see." Aro opened up the file in front of him, spreading the photos of Bella's destroyed home out in front of them. I felt Bella tense beside me and wrapped my arm around her. "You've been quite busy, I see."

Demetri looked at the pictures and smirked. "Nice work. Know who did it?"

"I have a guess," Aro hedged. He took the picture of the boot prints out of the pile and held it up in Demetri's face. "Recognize these?"

"Nope."

Aro's face turned down. "No? Really? Hmm. That's quite a shame." He put the picture down. "I had a feeling you might know who's they were." He sighed.

"Nope," Demetri repeated, crossing his arms.

"What's he doing?" Bella asked.

"Playing with him," Caius answered.

Aro shook his head slowly. "That really disappoints me. I suppose I'll just have to put you in a holding cell for a while until I finish searching your apartment for the boots that made these prints."

Demetri tensed up slightly. "You need a warrant, Detective."

Aro laughed loudly. "I need a warrant. Do you hear this?" he asked Marcus. Marcus merely nodded while Aro quickly found a document buried in the stack of papers in front of him. "Ah, yes. Here it is. What does this say?"

Demetri read the paper and paled slightly. "It's a warrant. To search my apartment," he stated.

"Yes, it is. And what do you think I'll find there?"

Demetri cleared his throat and threw a quick glance in our direction. "Nothing. There's nothing there that would connect me to this."

"No?" Aro pondered this for a moment and then gave Demetri a wolfish grin. "What did you do with them, Markinov? Burn them? Throw them in an alley dumpster somewhere?"

Demetri stayed silent.

Aro shifted slightly in his seat and I could tell he was changing his line of questioning.

"You know, you're usually much smarter than this, Demetri." He clucked his tongue, taunting him. "I'm a little disappointed."

Rage flashed through Demetri's eyes. "Disappointed? How's that?" he snarled. "I'm the smartest fucker out there."

"Usually," Aro answered, pausing. "But you got sloppy, Demetri."

Demetri's eyes widened slightly before he narrowed them, staring intensely at Aro. "I'm not sloppy, Mancini."

Aro waved his hand, unconcerned. "No, you're not. Which makes me wonder why you skipped your usual get-up and went into Miss Swan's residence without a hat."

"What the fuck are you talking about?"

Aro pulled out the DNA results. "Hair, Demetri. You left behind a hair," he said confidently. He sat back, watching Demetri's reaction. "You know, I quite like the whole blond thing you've got going on. Makes you look...distinguished."

Bella snorted.

"Fuck you, Mancini!" Demitri shouted.

"No, no, no. See, _you're_ the one who's fucked, as you so eloquently put it." Aro leaned forward. "Now, the way I see it, I've got you by the balls. I can nail you for this and put you away for the next fifteen years. I'm sure given your arrest record, a judge would have no qualms imposing the maximum sentence with no chance of parole along with the maximum fine of twenty-five thousand dollars. Unless..." He let the statement hang in the air.

"What do you want?" Demetri snapped.

"I want to know who hired you and why. And who went with you to Miss Swan's home." Aro sat silently and waited for Demetri's answer.

"And what do I get in return?" He stared at Aro evenly.

Aro laughed. "Why, you don't go to jail for fifteen years!" He looked over to where Marcus stood. "And I'll keep my partner from harming you."

He scoffed. "Yeah, right."

Marcus moved swiftly across the room, grabbing the back of Demetri's head and slamming it against the table.

Demetri slowly raised his head and raised his hand to his nose, wiping away some of the blood that oozed down his face slowly.

I couldn't help the joy that rushed through my body as I watched him bleed.

"Ooh. Wow. That's a shame. You really should be more careful," Aro said, feigning concern.

Bella turned her body towards me and buried her head in my chest. "Tell me when it stops bleeding," she choked out.

I chuckled silently and kissed the top of her head.

"Here, take this." Aro held out a handkerchief to Demetri and watched him dab at the blood on his face. "Ready to talk? Or does Marcus need to convince you further?"

Demetri sighed. "I'm really not in the mood for this today, Mancini."

"Neither am I."

Demitri was silent for a few minutes, weighing his options.

"Fine," he huffed. "The guy I hired to help me was named Felix Monroe. Don't know anything about him except that."

"Good, now we're getting somewhere." Aro flashed him a wide grin. "Continue," he said with a flourish of his hand.

"I don't know anything about the chick who hired me except that she was fucking adamant that I destroy everything in that lady's house."

Aro wrote something down in a notebook. "She never gave you a name?"

"No."

"You never saw her?"

"No."

"How did you get the money?" he questioned.

"She left cash at the drop off spot we used."

Aro arched his brows. "Drop off?"

"Yeah, for the kid's toys."

"Bella?" I whispered softly while Aro was asking him where the drop off spot was. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah," she said hoarsely. It sounded like she was crying. She lifted her head and looked at me with her eyes full of angry tears. "I'm okay."

"And what was she planning on doing with the kid's toys?" Aro's voice pulled my attention away from Bella.

He shrugged. "Fuck if I know. Probably nothing. She seemed pretty fucking nuts."

"Did you plant the bugs in Dr. Cullen's and Miss Swan's homes?"

"What bugs?" Demetri asked loudly.

"I take that as a no?" Aro asked, looking for an specific answer.

"No."

Aro thought for a moment. "Did she give you any idea why she wanted you to destroy everything in Miss Swan's home before setting it on fire?"

"Not a clue. Didn't care, so I didn't ask."

"Figures." Aro glanced back towards the mirror. "Got a number for this crazy chick?"

"Nope. She used payphones. I could hear the sounds of traffic or music when she called. And it was never from the same place. Just Chicago area codes."

"Interesting," Aro commented. "Marcus? I think I've gotten all I need from him today. Take him back to his cell." He looked back at Demetri. "If I need anything else, I'll let you know."

"I thought I wasn't going to go to jail!" Demetri protested.

Aro laughed. "I never said that! I said that you wouldn't go for the maximum time!"

Demetri growled in anger and launched himself at Aro. Aro quickly sidestepped his advance and maneuvered his arms behind his back, slamming him onto the table again and quickly cuffing him.

"Marcus, please get him out of here before I get myself suspended." Aro pushed the hair that had fallen out of his ponytail behind his ears and walked out the door, straightening his shirt.

"Edward?"

"Hmm?" I said, distracted. It was Jane. It had to be.

"You still think it's Jane, don't you?"

"Yeah." I looked down at her. "Don't you?"

"Yes," she said fiercely.

Aro came into the room, smiling broadly. "That went well."

"Nice work, Aro," Caius praised.

"Thank you, sir. He's a complete idiot." Aro looked at me. "Well, I'd say it's time for me to find your ex now, Edward." I nodded, thankful he was looking into Jane further. "Could you come with me for a moment? I have a few things I need to ask you."

I followed Aro out the door, uncertain of what else he wanted to talk to me about. We rounded the corner and I was face to face with Marcus, who had a tight grip on Demetri.

"Demetri, this is Dr. Cullen. The man who's fiancée's home you destroyed," Aro announced.

Demetri shrugged and looked at me unapologetically. "Sorry, man. Gotta make a living."

The fury beat at my body again, claiming me. I felt my entire body tense up as I leaned forward, practically snarling. I could no longer control myself now that I was a mere three feet away from the man who wrecked Bella's home.

"YOU SON OF A BITCH," I roared.

I lunged at him, hitting him in the nose with a satisfying crunch as I took him down to the floor. I took his head in my hands and slammed it against the floor before I raised my fist up and hit him squarely in the jaw.

My blood roared in my body as I continued to hit him, wanting nothing more than to kill him, until Aro and Marcus pulled me off him. Emmett came rushing over and stood in my face, effectively pulling me out of my wrath.

"What the fuck, bro?" Emmett asked, looking back at Demetri. "You can't assault the prisoners!"

"I..." I was completely speechless. I looked down at my bloodied hands and felt my knuckles throb in pain. "Fuck," I muttered.

I looked back at Demetri, who was being helped up by a laughing Aro. His face was bloodier than before and I could see the left side of his face bruise and swell before my eyes.

"Perhaps that will teach you to vandalize other people's homes for money, Markinov," Aro snickered. "Nice work, Edward."

Emmett looked back at Aro, baffled. "You let my brother do this to him?"

"Of course. Edward deserved to get a little time in with Demetri here, don't you think?"

Emmett stared at him open mouthed for a moment before snapping out of it. "Do you want to get _suspended_?"

Aro waved him off. "Bennett gave me the order. He told me that if I wanted to let your brother get a few hits in before we took him down to county, then he'd turn a blind eye. Honestly, Cullen, I thought you'd want to see this guy get his face bashed in."

Aro walked off with Marcus and Demetri, leaving me with Emmett and a crowd of gossiping cops.

"He's fucking nuts," Emmett said, laughing. He looked down at my hands. "You break anything?"

I moved my hands around, opening and closing my hands into fists, wincing slightly. "No. I should be all right in time to perform the few surgeries I have scheduled for Monday."

"Feel better?" he smirked.

"Fuck, yeah."

He laughed. "Let's get you to the bathroom so you can clean up before Bella sees you. She'll shit if she sees you like this."

I laughed with him. "That bad, huh?"

"Yeah."

******************************

**Bella**

We left the station feeling much better about the situation now that Aro had a lead. The entire CPD was on the lookout for Jane and Felix and Aro was heading down to Dallas to work with the authorities there, searching Jane's house and speaking to her family.

I no longer felt like a sitting duck.

It had been hard for me to look at the man that had destroyed everything I owned for a little cash. I wanted to smash through the glass and throttle him.

It was even harder for me to hear how he took my son's things and dropped them off for Jane to pick up. _That_ scared the hell out of me just as much as bringing out my inner Mama Bear, daring anyone to try to touch my child.

_What was she going to do?_

I silently stared out the window on our way to pick Eli up from school. I could feel Edward's eyes occasionally glance over, appraising me. Finally, I couldn't stand it anymore and looked over at him.

"What?" I snapped. "Can't a girl just look out the window for Christ's sake?"

He arched his brow. "So, you're going to take your anger out on me? Is that it? Because I'll take it--every bit of it. I deserve anything you can throw at me for bringing this on you."

_Shit._ I didn't blame him. I blamed _Jane_. I now had three people to be pissed off at and here I was funneling all my anger towards Edward.

I groaned and scrubbed my face with my hands. "No. I'm not taking it out on you. I'm just pissed off and scared. I shouldn't have snapped at you. It's not your fault."

"Yes it is," he said harshly. "If I'd have just thrown her ass in jail to begin with, this never would have happened."

I reached over and gently ran my hand over his forearm. "You can't change the past." His expression softened as he looked over at me again. "So are we good?"

"Of course we're good." He took my hand and interlaced our fingers, bringing them up to his mouth and kissing my fingers softly.

We stayed in comfortable silence, both of us leaving the other to our thoughts until we got to Eli's school. I went into the office to fill out the appropriate paperwork to change Eli's home address since I was a little early. It wasn't like we were going to move back into my townhouse. My lease would be up before the repairs were finished on it.

I went back outside, waving at Edward on my way by, and walked over to the kindergarten doors where Eli would be launching himself out of in ten minutes. I gave the other parents that were waiting polite smiles and leaned against the wall.

My pulled my chirping cell phone out of my pocket and read the text message from Jacob.

_-Getting off early at four. Swing by your place and get Eli?_

I quickly typed my response.

_-No. Will be at Edward's. Need directions?_

I held my phone and waited for his response.

_-Why?_

I rolled my eyes and texted back.

_-Long story. Tell you there. Again, need directions?_

I heard the bell ring and watched for Eli to come running out the door.

_-No. Think I can find it. I'll call you if I get lost, haha._

I felt the reluctant pull at the corner of my lips and put my phone back in my pocket.

"Mommy!" Eli cried, running over to me. "Guess what I did today?!"

I picked him up and hugged him, kissing his sweet cheek happily. "I don't know. What did you do?"

"I played with Mrs. Bagby's rabbit, Blackie!"

I playfully gasped. "You did? Wow! Wait till Edward hears about this!"

"He's here?" he squealed.

"Yep." I pointed to where Edward was leaning against the side of his car, getting looks from some of the other mother's waiting for their own children. "See him?"

"Yeah!" Eli took off running in Edward's direction. "Edward!"

I jogged after him, watching Edward scoop him up and tickle him before I got there. Eli was describing the rabbit in detail to Edward so quickly, I could barely catch it.

Edward looked at me smiling widely and pulled me against him. "Sounds like someone had a great day today," he commented in my ear while Eli just kept talking.

"I'll say." I stood on my toes and kissed him softly, looking over his shoulder smugly at the mother's watching him. "We have an audience," I whispered.

He turned and looked behind him, causing the women to quickly advert their eyes. He turned back to me and laughed.

"What was that about?"

"They were checking you out." I glared at him playfully. "I guess I'm never going to be able to let you come get Eli alone. Who knows what might happen when I'm gone."

His eyes burned with fire as he looked down at me. "Let them try, a ghrá. Nothing could pull me away from you. Not now, not ever."

******************************

"Hey, Jacob," I said, opening the door.

Jacob's eyes roamed the house appreciatively. "This is some fancy place here, Bells. Guess being an Army doc pays the big bucks, huh?"

"Navy," I corrected.

"Whatever." He looked around for Eli. "Where's Eli?"

"Playing Rock Band with Edward. Want me to get them?"

His eyebrows shot up with the plural word. "In a second. I wanted to talk to you first." He looked behind him and shifted slightly on his feet. "Outside? Quil's outside."

"Yeah."

I followed Jacob outside to his truck and waved at Quil. "What are you doing out here? You could have come in!"

"Nah, that's all right." He got out of the truck and gave me a quick hug. "It's good to see you, Bell. Looks like Chicago really agrees with you."

I smiled widely. "I'm pretty happy here, actually." I turned back to Jacob. "So, what's up?"

"I wanted to apologize to you for acting the way I did about you getting married. I shouldn't have acted like that. It was stupid."

"Why are you apologizing?"

"Because he's a fucking asshole, that's why!" Quil interjected.

I looked at both of them quickly before speaking to Quil. "I take it you have something to do with this?"

"Yep," he said smugly.

Jacob looked at me sheepishly. "We had a really long talk about everything and he basically pointed out to me how much of an asshole I've been, how badly I've treated you, and that if I really loved you, I'd want you to be happy."

"Don't forget the part when I told you that her best friend would never have done any of that shit you did," Quil told Jacob.

"I take it you laid it on him pretty thick, huh?"

"You bet, Bella. He shouldn't be able to get away with doing all that to you. If I were your boy, I'd have beat the shit out him by now. Takes a man with a strong will not to."

"Thanks." I hugged him again. "I've missed you, Quil."

"So, I'm going to try my best to be happy for you. I love you, Bella. Just because you're with Cullen now isn't going to change that but I figured after all I've done to you, the least I could do is let you be happy and quit trying to ruin it. Who knows? Maybe one of these days I'll find someone who makes me forget the way I feel for you." My eyes widened with Jacob's admission. "I'm sorry, Bella. Honestly."

"Thanks," I said uncomfortably, twisting my ring on my finger. "Um, come inside. There's something Edward and I wanted to talk to you about."

Jacob's eyebrows shot up. "Now are you going to tell me you're pregnant?" he asked with a smile.

I rolled my eyes. "No. Shut up and come in."

Jacob and I started to walk back to the house, but I stopped when I noticed Quil wasn't following us. "Aren't you coming?" I asked him.

"No. I'm good. You guys have your talk. I'll see you later, Bella."

"Bye!"

Jacob went into the living room and sat down while I went upstairs and got Edward. We had Eli pick up his room to give us a little time to talk to Jacob about the situation before he came downstairs.

"So," Jacob said awkwardly. "What did you two need to talk to me about?"

I took a deep breath and Edward took my hand. "We went to the police station today while Eli was in school."

Jacob's eyes widened and he leaned forward in the chair. "What for?"

I looked at Edward, unsure how to continue.

Edward cleared his throat and squared his shoulders. "Jacob, I think I should explain everything starting from the beginning." He paused, judging Jacob's reaction. Jacob just stared blankly at him. "When I was at Annapolis, I dated a girl named Jane Ryan for almost a year. When I decided that things weren't working out for me, I broke it off with her. Uh, she didn't take the break up too well."

He stopped and ran his hand through his hair before continuing.

"She broke into my room and destroyed a lot of my stuff, called me incessantly, and followed me around. I went to the police, but they just laughed me off. After that, I learned to ignore her as she continued to stalk me. She never came near me so I didn't think I needed to worry too much about it. That maybe, eventually, she'd get over it.

"I went out on a date one night with a girl named Jordan and hadn't seen Jane around the entire time. I thought that we were alone and I went to kiss her. As soon as my lips met hers, Jane came screaming across the field behind Jordan's house and pulled us apart, yelling all kinds of shit. She told me she was pregnant with my baby."

Jacob shifted in his seat. "Jesus."

Edward gave him a tight smile. "Anyways, I made Jane get a pregnancy test at the hospital nearby. The nurse came back with her blood work and told us the test was negative. After the nurse left, Jane started screeching and pacing around the room and I tried to silently get out of the door. I had my hand on the freaking door knob when I felt this sharp pain shoot up my side.

"I have no idea where she got it, but she stabbed me in the space between one of my ribs with a scalpel and pulled it down towards my back as I spun around to get it out of her hand. I could only use one arm to fight her off since it hurt too bad to lift up my other arm, but I managed to get it away from her. I threw the scalpel across the room and managed to grab a hold of her while opening the door and yelling for help.

"I got stitched up and filed charges against her, only to drop them once our lawyers agreed that she would spend thirty days in a psych hospital and another year in therapy. I never heard from her again. I thought she was better."

I had never heard the details of the story until now. I felt awful that Edward had endured that. I unconsciously ran the hand that Edward wasn't holding down his jaw. Jacob stiffened but didn't mention it.

"I'm sorry for you and all, Cullen, but what does this have to do with me?" Jacob asked.

"It has to do with you because she's back," I said softly.

Jacob's eyes darted over to me and I saw the anger flash in his eyes. "What?"

"She saw us a few weeks ago, when we took Eli to the aquarium. And then the next night, while Eli was at your house, Edward got an e-mail with a picture of us..." I didn't finish because I was blushing furiously.

"A picture of you what?" he snapped.

"Let's just say that Jane had taken pictures of us in a compromising position," Edward stated.

"Pictures of the two of you having sex?"

I nodded. "Then, the weekend before Charlie came to visit, we went out with our friends and met up at a bar. Edward and I spent most of the time dancing together and later on in the week I got a picture that she had taken of us dancing, but it was photo shopped so that we looked...well, so that we looked like zombies."

"Why? That's just stupid."

"To show us that she could watch us without us ever knowing. She was trying to scare Bella off," Edward answered. "When that didn't work, she upped her game a little bit."

Jacob looked over at me with concern. "What happened?"

"She hired a couple of guys to break into my townhouse and destroy everything before they set it on fire." I took a deep breath. "Everything of ours is gone, Jake."

"All of Eli's stuff?" I nodded. "_Everything_?" I nodded again. "Holy fucking Christ! You're sure it's this crazy ex of yours?" he asked Edward.

"I'm certain of it. Whoever's doing this is following the same pattern that Jane did when she was following me. No one knows about it except my family and a few close friends. And the Annapolis police department."

"So..." Jacob trailed off.

"Eli and I moved in here," I stated.

"Oh."

We let him sit there and think it over. I could tell he was angry, but he wasn't lashing out at us like he normally did.

"How do I know my son is safe with you here, Cullen?" he asked, finally breaking the silence.

"There is a cruiser that constantly patrols the neighborhood until Jane is found. I also have a security system that has motion-activated cameras outside. If anyone comes into my yard without my knowledge, I know about it. The police know about it. They've accessed my security system so that Aro has a live feed in case she decides to come here for any reason at all."

Jacob nodded and looked at me angrily. "I don't fucking like it, Bella."

"I don't either, Jake."


	24. Chapter 24

**Thanks for the reviews!!! Glad to see you guys like Edward beating the hell out of Demetri!**

**This chapter has a bit of a silver lining...cause it can't be bad news all the time**

***~***

Chapter 24

**Edward**

"This is useless," Bella said hopelessly as she blew a stray piece of hair out of her eyes. "I'm getting the insurance money soon. I can just replace everything."

"It's not useless. And it doesn't hurt to see if they missed something." I took the two necessary steps over to her and wrapped my arms around her in comfort.

The building had been declared structurally sound over the weekend and Bella and I were now spending our Wednesday afternoon with trash bags and a couple of boxes, sorting through the mess, in hopes that something would have been overlooked and untouched.

I looked down at the ruined carpet and saw something catch my eye. I bent over to pick it up and held up the figure victoriously.

"See? Scooby made it." I wiped off the soot that covered his face.

She took it out of my hands, smiling, and looked it over quickly before tossing it into one of the boxes. "Well, Eli will be happy. Those are hard to find."

Bella's cell phone started ringing in her bag by the door. She hobbled over the mess and answered it, talking to someone lowly while I continued to stuff unidentifiable objects into the trash bag I was holding.

_Jesus fuck, this is a mess._

I paused, trying to figure out what the fuck it was I had in my hand and felt Bella's arms wrap around my waist.

"Everything okay?" I asked, turning around slowly and facing her.

"Yeah. I've got to work tonight. The sous chef called in sick and they need someone to take his place tonight. Apparently there's some big executive coming in with a lot of people and they need all the hands they can get."

"That's great," I told her honestly.

"Yeah, it is. I missed out on the job when I broke my hand. Maybe I can show Laurent what I can really do tonight," she said confidently. "Although, he's a pretty big ass. He might never realize it."

"Sure he will. You're cooking is phenomenal." I patted my stomach lightly. "I think I've gained a few pounds since I met you."

She giggled. "Where? You look the same as you did back in June." She shook her head. "Better, actually."

"So says the woman who promised to marry me. You have to say shit like that. It's in the contract. Just like I have to tell you that a certain pair of pants don't make you look fat. Or that I love your new haircut, even when I don't."

She rolled her eyes. "I don't have to say anything I don't want to, Cullen."

"True." I looked at her seriously. "This might be a good distraction. You know, doing something different than what you normally do. It might help take your mind off this shit."

She gave me a half smile. "Couldn't hurt. So what are you and Eli going to do tonight while I'm working?"

"Eat pizza and drink beer." I gave her a crooked smile. "Well, I am, anyway. Eli will be drinking milk."

She smiled in return. "Sounds nice. I wish I could be there with you."

"Me too, baby."

******************************

Eli and I were in the kitchen putting away our leftover pizza when the doorbell rang.

"I got it!" Eli exclaimed, hopping off the counter and racing to the door.

I rushed after him. "No, you don't. I'll get it."

He pouted. "Please? Please, please, pretty please can I answer the door?"

"No," I said sternly. "It's not safe."

"Edward!" he shouted, stomping his foot.

I cocked my brow and looked at him. "You're going to throw a fit? Over the door?"

"No," he said slowly, looking down.

"Didn't think so. Now, get behind me so I can open it without having to worry about you."

Eli stood behind me, crossing his arms over his chest. I rolled my eyes and opened the door to see Aro standing there.

_Bella._

"Aro? Is there something wrong? Did something happen?" I asked in a rush.

"No, no. Nothing like that." I breathed out in relief. He glanced down and saw Eli peeking out from behind me angrily. "So this is your son?"

I started to correct him, but changed my mind. Eli may not be biologically related to me, but he was mine in every other way.

"Yes. Eli? This is Detective Mancini. He's trying to find the people who started the fire at Mom's house."

Aro gave him a friendly smile. "Hello, Eli. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Eli huffed and scowled.

"Eli, manners," I scolded.

"Hi," he said stiffly.

"I'm sorry," I apologized. "He's mad at me because I wouldn't let him answer the door. Apparently, this is a huge deal for a five-year-old."

"Five and a half," Eli corrected.

I looked at him in disbelief. "You're going to argue with me about your age now, too?" _Jesus._ "Just...do me a favor and play upstairs in your room for a little bit while I talk to Detective Mancini. I'll be up there as soon as he leaves. Okay?"

I watched him sulk up the stairs and ran my hand through my hair, tugging slightly. I was going to have to talk to him about things he could and couldn't do until this was over.

"Kids," I said, chuckling nervously.

"It's fine. I'd imagine he's going to have to adjust to you and Bella being a little over-bearing for a while, huh?"

"Yeah." I moved aside to let him in. "Come in. What can I help you with?" I asked politely, walking us to the couch in the living room.

"I wanted to give you an update on where we stand with your case." He sat down on the chair across from me.

"Oh. Okay."

"We haven't found Felix or Jane," he said apologetically. "But don't worry, we will." He paused. "I wanted to talk to you about Jane."

"What do you want to know?" I asked him. "You know most of what happened from the police report."

"Somewhat." He smiled reassuringly. "Just tell me things about her that she told you while you were dating."

I cleared my throat. "Well, her parents divorced when she was little. Six, I think. He father suffered from severe depression and shot himself when she was eleven. Um, her mother was a drunk and Jane was eventually taken away by social services and spent the last three years of high school in foster care. But she was incredibly smart and got into Annapolis without any trouble. She told me once that she put all her frustrations with her life into being a good student so she could 'get the fuck out of there'." I looked him in the eye. "But I suppose you already know most of that."

He pulled out a pad of paper and a pen from his suit pocket. "All but the last part. So, obviously we know that there's some history of mental illness in her family."

"Yeah. Depression. Possibly bipolar disorder by what Jane described to me, but I'm not sure. Other than that, I don't know of anyone else in her family that suffered from anything else. Certainly not psychosis or paranoid schizophrenia."

He nodded. "When you dated Jane, was there any signs of her mania that you might have missed?"

"No. That was the most confusing thing. It was almost as if something in her just...snapped." I wasn't really sure how to describe it.

He scribbled something down quickly. "Elaborate please, Edward."

I ran my hand through my hair nervously. "Personality wise she seemed to be the sociological definition of normal. She and I argued, like any other couple, but it never got out of hand. Honestly, most of the time we argued when she was PMSing, as shitty as that sounds."

"Why exactly did you break up with her?"

I thought about it. "I was twenty-one and had a few months left until I graduated and knew that I was going off to med school soon. Jane still had two more years left at Annapolis after I was gone. After a lot of thinking, I decided that I wasn't interested in her enough to do the long distance thing with her--especially with the demands of med school."

He wrote in his notebook again. "How did she take it?"

"Not well. She got pissed off and called me all sorts of names. Selfish prick being the most common. Then she took off. She left me alone for a couple of days and then the phone calls started. When I stopped answering them, she started showing up at places I was--deliberately running in to me. Then about a month after we broke up, my roommate and I found that our room had been broken into and a lot of our stuff was destroyed. It wasn't nearly as bad as Bella's house, but then again, Jane did it herself." I gave him a tight smile. "I went to the police and got laughed at because Jane is such an innocent-looking, tiny woman and they figured that a guy who's six-three and in the Navy could take her no problem.

"She kept watching me, showing up everywhere I went and I ignored her. About two months after I broke up with her I went out on a date and well, you know the rest." I was tired of telling the same story over and over.

"I do." He put the notebook away. "Edward, we're trying to get access to her medical records, but I have a feeling that there's some event that made her snap. That it had nothing to do with you, only that you were an easy target." I sat forward and listened to him intently. "I've spoken to her friends in Texas who all are under the impression that Jane quit taking her medication a few months ago. Her boyfriend, Alec, was adamant that he not be with someone who was dependent on medication to function properly in society."

I had no idea what to say to this. The thought of something happening to her after we broke up never even crossed my mind.

_God, I really am a selfish prick._

"Have you spoken to Alec?" I asked eagerly.

He nodded. "He said Jane started acting strange when she returned from her trip here. She came to Chicago with a couple of friends to shop and spend a few days on the lake. And she disappeared two weeks ago. Packed a bag and took off in her car. He filed a missing persons report with the police in Dallas and they are looking into if further. Once we get her medical records released to us, I might know more." Aro looked up at the clock on the mantle. "Well, I'd better get going so that you can get back to your son. I'll let you know as soon as we get something else."

I didn't respond back. I wasn't sure what it was that I was feeling, but something about Jane caring enough about a man she was dating to stop taking her medications to make their relationship work, then up and leaving without a word didn't sit well with me. I may not know Jane now, but the Jane from ten years ago would never up and leave without letting _someone_ know she was safe.

But I could think about it later. Right now, I needed to talk to Eli.

I showed Aro out the door and quickly went up to his room. He was playing on the floor with Buzz and Woody.

"Hey, you."

He looked up and me and then looked back down.

I sighed heavily and walked over to him, sitting down with him. "Still mad?" He shrugged his shoulders. "I'm sorry you didn't get to open the door, but there's a good reason why I wouldn't let you."

"Why?"

I took Buzz from his hands and made him look up at me. "How much do you know about what happened at Mom's house?"

"That somebody got inside and started a fire," he said quietly.

"Yes, they did. But they went through the house and broke everything in it first." Eli's eyes bugged out of his head. "So, until Detective Mancini catches everyone that was involved, Mom and I are going to be a little over-protective of you."

His brows knit. "What's that mean?"

I chuckled. "It means that things like opening the door and being able to run off a few feet in front of us aren't going to fly anymore. It means that Mom and I are going to be watching you very closely, so that nothing happens to you. No more playing in the back yard while we watch you from inside, no more riding your bike down at the street while we watch you from the porch..." I stopped with the examples. "Dad will be watching you extra closely, too. _Everyone_ will."

"But-"

I cut him off. "No. No buts. We want to make sure you're safe, Eli. Your Mom and I would be so sad if something happened to you. Do you understand?"

"Yeah."

I scooted closer to him and hugged him against me. "I love you, buddy."

"Love you, too."

I kissed him lightly in his hair and quickly stood up. "Want some ice cream?" I asked, grinning.

"Yeah!" he squealed, running down the stairs before I even had a chance to turn around.

I followed him, laughing. It was so easy to make him forget what he was mad about. All you had to do was say those two magic words.

******************************

**Bella**

"Oh, my God! Bella! Are you guys all right?" Jessica screeched at me.

"Yeah. "We're fine," I said, trying to calm her down.

I had explained everything that had been going on. It felt therapeutic. I could vent out my frustration and anger with Jane to someone on the outside.

I wiped the sweat off my forehead with the sleeve of my coat and tossed the asparagus in the pan with a flick of my wrist. I was on my third dish of the night that Dana, the executive chef, had instructed me to cook.

"Swan!" Laurent shouted at me from across the kitchen. "Get that shit done. Now! Mr. Grant is waiting!"

I bit down on my tongue to keep from saying something back. He seemed to be riding me a little harder than everyone else tonight. Most likely because this was in fact _not_ my job and he was worried I'd screw up. But I knew I was good at my job. It was something that came naturally to me and that I loved. I wasn't going to let him stress me out any more than I already was.

I quickly instructed a few of the other employees on what still needed to be done for certain dishes and reminded everyone that Mr. Grant was extremely important to Laurent and that everyone needed to be on top of their game. Or something like that. I was so freaking nervous about telling everyone what to do, I didn't pay attention to what it was I was saying exactly.

"I don't think it's Jane," Jessica said when Laurent went back to his office.

I looked down at the range, dumbfounded for a moment. "Who else could it be?"

She shrugged and started chopping another onion. "I don't know. But Jane's too obvious. It's never the obvious ones."

I spent the rest of the night, trying to focus on not burning the food I was cooking because all I could do was think of someone--anyone--that might have been doing this instead of Jane. And I came up entirely blank.

"Swan!" I looked over to see Laurent waiting impatiently to answer him.

"Yes, sir?" I asked politely, even though I felt like screaming at him.

"Mr. Grant would like to speak to you." He spun around and walked away before I could say anything else.

I checked to make sure my hair was still neatly tied back and smoothed out my coat before walking back to the party room. I plastered the fake smile on my face and looked around the table of impeccably dressed people in front of me, stopping at two in particular and smiling genuinely.

"Bella! We didn't know you would be working this evening!" Esme beamed up at me.

"I wasn't supposed to but the sous chef Laurent hired called in sick again and he needed someone to take his place. I was the lucky one who got the phone call," I told her.

"Edward always tells us how wonderful your food is and now we know," Carlisle said, smiling.

I felt my face heat up. "Oh, no. I can't take credit for any of it. I didn't come up with the recipes, Laurent did. I just cooked it."

"Don't be so modest, Bella." Carlisle replied. He turned to an older gentleman in a navy suit at the head of the table. "Alistair? This is Edward's fiancée, Bella Swan. It seems she is the one who made your lamb." He looked back over at me again. "Bella, this is an old family friend, Alistair Grant."

_Oh shit._

He looked between Carlisle and I before smiling and speaking. "Well, what a coincidence. Carlisle and Esme were just telling me about the girl who stole Edward's heart and now here you are," he said in his smooth, British accent.

"I don't think I necessarily stole his heart, sir." More like he stole mine.

"Nonsense. I always believe Carlisle. If he says you stole Edward's heart, then I'm certain you did." I nodded. "I asked for Mr. Dubois to have the person responsible for cooking my food to come out here for a quick word." I wrung my hands, frightened to hear his next words. "I just wanted to tell you myself that I thought it was amazing. Thank you."

I exhaled in relief. "I'm glad you enjoyed your dinner."

I spoke to Alistair for a little longer, nervously telling him about how long I'd been engaged to Edward and when we were planning on getting married, where I was under the instruction to invite him so that he could witness his good friend Carlisle's son get married for himself.

He took a sip of his wine and held out a business card to me. "I've been thinking about investing in a restaurant and have been on the lookout for someone who I think could make me a considerable profit. I'd like to taste some of your own creations sometime. I think you would be a wise investment." I stared at him blankly, unable to process what he was asking of me. "Talk to Edward," he said, chuckling. "See if having your own restaurant would be something you two would like. I know Edward has the start-up funds to match what I would be willing to invest, if he's anything like his father here."

I numbly took the card out of his hand and slipped it in my pocket. "Thank you. I will." I needed to get out of here. My brain was finally catching up to Alistair's words. "I'd better get back to work. It was a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Grant."

"And you as well, Bella."

I shook his hand and gave Carlisle and Esme quick hugs, telling them that I'd talk to them later before practically sprinting to the bathroom. I shut myself in one of the stalls and jumped up and down with joy. Alistair thought I should open my own restaurant, something I'd dreamed of frequently when I was in culinary school.

I realized that when Eli was born, I had given up on that dream. It had been years since I'd thought it even a possibility, much less something that was just at the tips of my fingers. I pulled the card out of my pocket and stared at it, smiling widely.

I would be relying entirely on Edward to make something like this a reality. Even though Alistair was willing to invest fifty percent, I had no idea how much money something like this would take. How was I supposed to ask him if he would invest his life savings in something that may crumble at my feet as soon as it began?

I put the card back in my pocket and quickly washed my hands before getting back to work. I stayed quiet for the rest of my shift but noticed that Laurent watched me closely for the rest of the night. Whatever was on his mind, he never said and I found that I really didn't care. He seemed so sure I'd fail tonight and by Alistair complimenting me personally, I proved him entirely wrong.

It felt wonderful.

******************************

I pulled a bottle of water out of the garage refrigerator and locked the door, turning around and dropping the water on the floor with a start.

Edward was standing in front of me, smiling in amusement. "Did I scare you?"

"Yeah." I bent down and retrieved the water off the floor, groaning at the stiffness in my back.

Edward was instantly at my side, looking me over in concern. "You look exhausted, baby."

I nodded. "It was a very busy night."

His thumb ran over the dark circle under one of my eyes. "Come to bed."

I followed him into the bedroom and stripped out of my clothes, slipping into one of Edward's t-shirts and brushing my teeth before I went to bed.

"How was Eli?" I asked as I crawled into bed, laying down and snuggling into my pillow.

"Pissed off." I looked at him in confusion. "Aro came by tonight to get some background information on my relationship with Jane and I wouldn't let him answer the door. I had to explain to him that until Aro found the people responsible for starting the fire at your townhouse that you and I would be keeping a close watch on him and some of the things he used to be able to do wouldn't be an option until he did." He pushed my hair back over my shoulder. "I feel so bad that this is going to affect him."

"So do I," I admitted.

His face brightened and he turned over, grabbing an envelope off the nightstand and rolling back over to give it to me.

"I forgot. This came in the mail for you today."

I opened it and couldn't stop the smile that spread across my face. It was a check from the insurance company for twenty-five thousand dollars.

"What are you going to do with it?" he asked excitedly.

"I'm going to buy Eli and myself some more clothes and things like that to replace the ones that were burned. But the rest of it...I don't know."

His forehead creased in confusion. "You don't know?"

"I don't have to replace furniture or anything like that now. I have almost twenty-five thousand dollars to do whatever I want with."

I suddenly knew exactly what I wanted to do with it. I saw myself ten years from now with Edward, taking our family into _our_ restaurant and enjoying some of the Irish food that he and I had created together. Something that revolved around him.

"Edward?" I asked softly.

"Hmm?" He looked at me expectantly.

"I met Alistair Grant tonight," I started.

"You did?" He smiled at me. "He's always traveling for his company. What's he doing in Chicago?"

"He was having dinner with your parents, actually." I paused. "He told me that he thinks I would be a wise investment. And that he would invest fifty percent of the startup costs if I wanted to open my own restaurant."

His face dropped in surprise. "You're kidding! That's fucking great news, Bella!"

I smiled with his excitement. "I think I'd like to take the rest of the money and use it to start my own business. It's not definite yet--I still have to let Alistair taste some of my own dishes before he'll give us the money but..." I took a deep breath. "I think I'd like to do something with an Irish pub-like feel. We could have pints and have bands play in the bar and make sure the restaurant side is family friendly with good, traditional Irish food served in both areas...Bella style."

I could envision it clearly. Rich, dark espresso colored woodwork, floors, and tables. Booths full of families eating Shepherd's Pie and Salmon Boxty. Children with balloons as they grinned and walked out of the doors. Weekends full of friends gathering and talking while they listened to the band that Edward and I had hired.

"You want to do something Irish?" he questioned. "Why?"

"You," I answered simply.

He grabbed my waist and pulled me towards him, kissing me passionately. After a few minutes, he finally broke away, breathless.

His piercing green eyes met mine. "I can't believe you would want to do something like this because of me." He took a deep breath, composing himself. "I think it's a great idea and Alistair would have to be a fucking idiot not to follow through with this."

"Thanks. The only problem is that I don't know how much something like this would cost. I don't think twenty-some thousand dollars is going to cover my half." I thought about it for a minute. "I guess I could get a loan. I have really good credit and-"

Edward cut me off. "No. I'll give you anything you need to do this--no matter how much it takes. I've been thinking for a few weeks now that it was a good idea, I just didn't know if it was something you wanted to do."

"You have?" I asked in shock.

He nodded. "Your food is so good. It doesn't matter what you make, it always comes out perfect. You should share your talent with the rest of Chicago, a ghrá."

I pulled back slightly. "If you do this with me, you get just as much say so in this. It's not going to be mine." He started to protest but I put my fingers over his mouth to shut him up. "It's going to be _ours_. I want you to be involved with everything. Not just because it's your money, but because you'll eventually be my husband, too."

"You're sure?"

I nodded and kissed him gently. "Very."

"I can't be as involved as you since I have to put in long hours at the hospital, but I'll help you as much as I can." He grinned crookedly. "You'd better get to brainstorming your menu. I know Alistair. He won't wait around for long."

I grinned back. "I'll come up with some ideas and run them by you. And I'll call Alistair first thing tomorrow and see when he'd like me to meet with him."

"You're going to knock them off their feet, Bella."

"You think?" I asked uncertainly.

"I really do, baby."


	25. Chapter 25

**Thanks for the reviews!!! **

**This chapter gave me some issues. I've had the BPOV written for about three weeks--I've always known it was going to go this way, I just had to get it here. Add Edward's damn 'I have to propose to Bella now' shit, and I struggled a bit to get it right.**

**LEMON AHEAD.......**

***~***

Chapter 25

**Edward**

"She doesn't know, does she, Edward?" Alice asked me for the millionth time.

"No!" I shouted, scrubbing my face with my hand. "But she's going to figure it out if you don't stop fucking calling me."

I was beginning to wish I hadn't included her in my little 'surprise'.

"Fine," she huffed. "I'll talk to you later."

I sighed heavily and hung up the phone.

Last week, I had gotten together with Alice and Rosalie to talk about trying to replace some of Bella's destroyed pictures. I called Charlie, Jacob, and Angela and asked them to make copies of anything Bella might have had at her town house. We'd gotten the last of them, from Charlie, in the mail yesterday and had gone through them while Bella was at work. Including the copies of pictures that Esme, Alice, and I had taken, I could only think of two that were missing out of the hundreds she had in frames and albums around her house.

I was pretty fucking pleased with the result.

I'd told Alice which one's Bella had in frames around her living room so that she could go out and buy new frames for them. The plan was that when Bella went to work this evening, I would clear the shelves in my living room off and put all the pictures up so that she could be surprised when she got home. The rest were put into chronological order in the multiple albums that Rosalie had bought.

I changed out of my scrubs and got in the car, hoping to catch Bella before she had to leave for work. I'd had to remove a tumor in a patient's liver that had taken an hour longer than expected.

I finally made my way through rush hour traffic and pulled into the garage, expecting to see Bella's Fusion missing from its usual spot and was surprised to see it still here.

I got out of the car and grabbed all my shit from the passenger's seat and took it into the house, causing the alarm to go off.

"Jesus fucking Christ!" I shouted, jumping at the loud noise that blared through the house.

I threw everything down on the floor and turned around to punch in the key code before the police came to the house.

"Bella?" I called out to the seemingly empty house.

I got no response so I quickly picked up my scrubs and threw them in the laundry room before walking around the house to look for her. I peeked in our bedroom and didn't see her, so I went into the living room. Nothing. I went upstairs and looked in Eli's room and all the extra bedrooms before checking the bonus room.

Still nothing.

I tugged at my hair, as I walked back downstairs. I knew Eli was with Jacob. But where the hell was Bella?

I went back to to see if maybe I was going nuts and only imagined her car in the garage. I opened the door and the navy blue car stared me in the face.

_Fuck_.

I could feel my heart clinch in my chest as I began to panic. What if something happened to her? I quickly went through the house, pulling out my phone to see if maybe she was with Rosalie, when I heard a noise coming from our bedroom.

I spun around and went into our room and peered around the dresser to see the bathroom door shut and the light seeping through the crack at the bottom.

The relief the flooded my veins nearly knocked me off my feet. I felt the smile start to spread across my face and heard the sound of someone retching in the toilet, causing my smile to immediately turn into a frown.

I opened the door and saw Bella bent over the toilet, panting heavily. I got a washcloth wet with cold water and went over to her, running it across the back of her neck.

"Hey, baby," I soothed. "How long have you been like this?"

"All day," she answered breathlessly. "I got home from taking Eli to school and it just hit me. I've been in here all afternoon."

"What the fuck, Bella? Why didn't you call me?" I crouched down and pushed her hair back behind her ear. "I would have had someone take my cases and come home."

"I know."

Resigned that she wasn't going to give me a better answer, I gently scooped her up and carried her to the bed. I laid the washcloth on her forehead and went into the kitchen to get some Phenergan out of my bag. I grabbed a bottle of water on my way back to the bedroom and made her swallow the pill down.

"This will help with the nausea. It'll make you sleepy, but I'm only going to let you sleep for a couple of hours so that you can try to eat something." I covered her shaking body up and started to walk away, but she grabbed my hand.

"Lay with me?" she pleaded.

I ran my free hand down her face and smiled down at her. "You bet."

*********************************

Bella spent three days running from our bed to the toilet with the fucking flu bug she'd picked up. I was on edge, ready to send her to the hospital at a moment's notice, but she insisted she stay home and take the medicine I had in my bag to help alleviate her symptoms. She was able to keep chicken broth and Jell-O down for the most part, but on the third day, I was determined that if she woke up still sick, I was dragging her ass to the ER so they could stick an IV in her arm to help with the dehydration.

Lucky for her, she woke up feeling much better.

I heard the shower running as I came back in from getting the paper and practically ran to the bathroom. I threw the door open and smiled broadly at the picture in front of me. Not only was Bella standing in front of me, naked with water dripping down her gorgeous body but she was up and moving around--not heading directly for the toilet.

She looked over at me and grinned. "Hi!"

"Feeling better?" I asked, leaning against the doorway.

"I will in a minute." She grabbed my t-shirt in her hand and pulled me into the shower with her.

I looked down at her, smirking, as gently stroked her thigh. "You could have just asked."

"Takes too long," she pouted, stripping my shirt off me.

She ran her hands down my chest and bit her lip as she pushed my boxers down my legs. She looked up at me and I watched her eyes darken instantly, making my dick twitch against her stomach. She pushed me against the wall, attacking my mouth with hers as our hands roamed over each other's body feverishly.

I had every intention of taking it easy on her but as soon as I tasted her and felt her against me, I lost all control and could think of nothing else but fucking her senseless against the wall. I spun her around and pushed her body into the wall with mine, leaving no space between us.

She broke away when she ran out of air and I ran my tongue over her neck before biting down, hard. She arched her body into me and gasped, pulling my face back to hers and kissing me forcibly again. I cupped her breast in my hand, kneading roughly before I took her nipple between my fingers and pinched it.

I moved my mouth down to her breast, sucking her other nipple before I bit down gently and moved my hand to her slit, plunging my fingers inside her and pumping quickly. I got down on my knees and hitched her leg around my shoulder, as I continued to move my fingers in and out of her. I heard her whimper softly as I flicked her clit with my tongue. I took my fingers out of her and replaced them with my tongue, humming slightly as I lapped up her sweet juices.

I came back up to her clit and pushed my fingers back inside her, curling them inward as I sucked down on her clit, feeling her muscles clench around my fingers.

I looked up at her and our eyes met . "Come on, baby. I want to taste it when you come," I said, grinning wickedly before I started sucking down on her clit again.

She moaned and closed her eyes, throwing her head back as I felt her muscles explode around my fingers. I slowly pulled my fingers out of her and ran them up her slit before bringing them to my mouth, sucking on them and groaning as I came back up to her face.

"Want a taste?" I asked dangerously.

She bit her lip and I heard a soft mewl escape from her throat. I brought my mouth to hers and slowly slid my tongue across hers, lingering for a moment before pulling back and grabbing her hips and picking her up so that her entrance was lined up against my now aching dick.

"What do you want me to do to you, Isabella?" I asked lowly.

"Fuck me," she whispered.

"What?" I pushed the tip of my dick in her.

"Fuck me," she repeated, a little louder.

I thrust into her, pushing her against the wall, and groaned at the feel of her body wrapped around me.

"Four days is too long," I grunted as I came back out and slammed back into her again.

I continued to thrust into her forcefully, listening to our bodies connect fully with a satisfying slap as I kept her pinned against the wall. I licked and nipped every part of her body I could reach as I felt myself getting closer and closer.

I put her down and turned her around so that she was facing the other wall and bent her over the tile seat in the corner so that her elbows rested on it and her ass was right in line with my dick. I spread her legs apart with my knee and thrust back into her, listening to my name echo in the shower as she cried out.

I rammed my dick into her and watched her ass jiggle each time I did. Her entire body rocked in time with my thrusts and I could no longer hold on.

"Fuck, Bella. I'm coming," I yelled, shifting slightly as I concentrated on continuing my thrusts.

I felt my orgasm uncoil and I shot into her, feeling her walls ripple around me in response, milking me as she came hard, screaming and twitching underneath me.

I groaned as I pulled out of her and helped her up before spinning her around and kissing her softly.

"Are you sure you're all right? I feel pretty shitty that I didn't take it easy on you since you've been so sick."

She laughed. "I'm fine. I think I needed that just as much as you did."

I smiled down at her and slapped her ass. "Now that we got that out of the way, want to get cleaned up?"

She nodded her head and bent over to pick up my now soaking wet boxers and t-shirt. "I think I should get rid of these first, though. Don't you think?"

******************************

Alice and Rosalie sat on the stairs, waiting for Bella and Eli to come in the door. I watched them whisper excitedly together and rolled my eyes.

"You two are fucking idiots," I stage whispered back.

Alice opened her mouth angrily. "Am not! You're just as excited as we are, Cullen! Admit it!"

I moved my head around indecisively and smiled. "Maybe."

Eli came running in the room, yelling for me. "Edward!" he squealed when he saw me.

I beamed in response and grabbed him for a hug, squeezing him against my chest tightly. He'd been over at Jacob's the entire time Bella had been sick and I had no idea how much I'd missed him until I saw his little russet-colored face light up at the sight of me.

"Hey, buddy! I missed you!" I put him down so that I could talk to him. "Did you have fun at Dad's?"

"Yeah." He looked around the room and I watched his eyes bug out. "Momma! Momma! Come here!" he shouted.

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" she laughed, walking through the hall into the living room.

She took one look at all the pictures of her family, friends, and us and sobbed. I quickly crossed the room and pulled her into my arms, unsure if this was a good reaction or not.

"How did you...when did you..." She pushed away from me and wiped her eyes.

"Should I not have done it?" I asked uncertainly.

"Oh, God, Edward. Of course you should have done it! How did you get all these?" She looked around the room wildly and finally spotted Alice and Rosalie. "You!" she said with a laugh as she wiped her nose.

"Edward called Charlie, Jacob, and Angela and had them send copies of all the pictures they had of you and Eli to him. Jacob even called Billy to have him look for any old ones of Eli that you might not have had. Rosie and I went through our pictures with Mom and made copies of ours, too," Alice answered her excitedly.

"And then Edward got some of his pictures of you guys and added them in with it. He remembered the ones that were framed and had Alice buy new frames for them and I put all the extras in these." Rosalie held out the albums to Bella.

Bella took the albums from Rosalie and threw them on the couch before she pulled her in a tight hug. After she was finished, she grabbed Alice and hugged her.

She took a deep breath, trying to compose herself. "You guys are..." Her voice got caught in her throat. "You guys are the best friends I could have ever asked for. Thank you."

"Aw, Bella! We love you, too!" Alice trilled.

They hugged each other again before Bella walked over to me. She wrapped her arms around me and stood on her toes to kiss me.

"Since when did you become so sappy, Edward Cullen?" she asked, cocking her brow.

I shrugged. "I thought you deserved something special after all of this."

"Thank you."

I looked around the room at the pictures of my family and took a deep breath, savoring the feel of my heart thumping loudly in my chest with my love for them.

I grinned crookedly at her. "So I did good?"

"You did better than good, baby." She pulled me down so that my ear was next to her mouth. "I'll show you just how good you did later."

I shivered with the feel of her hot breath on my neck and kissed her deeply.

"Go home," I growled at Alice and Rosalie.

They laughed at me and walked out the door without another word. As soon as I heard the door click, I crushed my mouth against Bella's again, only to have her pull back.

"Eli," she said giggling.

"Oh. Right. Damn it." I ran my hand through my hair. "Later," I promised.

"Later."

*****************************

**Bella**

I let Alice and Rosalie take me shopping again to spend some of the insurance money by buying Eli and myself a ton of clothes. I needed the girl time so much, that I never once cared that I spent an entire day at a mall trying on clothes and buying things Alice insisted on--even though I knew I'd never wear them.

I had a meeting scheduled with Alistair next week and couldn't wait to get started planning a menu and trying everything out at home with Edward. Just the thought of the two of us starting our own restaurant together made me feel light--free. I wasn't going to be dependent on someone else for the money I made or do someone else's work, while they got the credit. Everything would be reflected on me, on Edward. On the decisions we made together.

I couldn't wait.

After we were finished, we left the mal**l** and went to get some pizza. We talked and laughed while we waited for our pizza to come. The waitress finally brought it over and refilled our drinks. After getting Eli situated, I took a bite of mine and Alice started waving her hands in front of her, getting Rosalie's and my attention immediately.

"I forgot to tell you!" She started giggling. "Okay. So the other day I was using one of those white strips on my teeth and I sat down to watch TV with Jasper when I sneezed. I kept on watching TV but noticed something on the ground. It was a full five minutes before I realized I'd sneezed the top white strip right off my teeth. Jasper laughed at me for hours!"

We all cracked up. The visual of one of those teeth whitening strips flying out of Alice's mouth was hysterically funny.

"Okay, I've got to pee!" I said, still laughing.

"Momma! I'm done. Can I go play the games now?"

I looked at his plate and noticed all his pizza was gone. "Sure."

I handed him some money and he took off towards the video games while I went to the bathroom.

I came out of the bathroom and looked for Eli. He was nowhere to be found.

"Guys? Where's Eli?" I asked as I walked back up to the table.

Rose whipped her head around. "He was just here!"

I could feel the panic bubbling in my chest. "Okay. Let's spread out and look for him. He couldn't have gone far."

We split up and started looking around for him. I raced around the restaurant before meeting up with Rose and Alice at the table.

"No sign of him." Rosalie looked around with a worried expression on her face.

"I'll go outside. Rose, you keep looking in here. Alice, go up front and tell them that he's missing. If I don't find him outside, I'm calling the police.

They nodded and took off in different directions. I went outside and looked around frantically, seeing no one.

I could feel the tears stinging my eyes and took a deep breath to try to stay calm, but it was no use. I was on the verge of a nervous breakdown thinking of all the things that could have happened.

He could be lost, wandering around the city with no clue of how to get home. Chicago was so much bigger than Forks, he wouldn't know who to go to for help like he did back in Washington. I whimpered and felt a tear roll down my cheek as I thought about my baby walking down the street alone.

Even worse, he could have been kidnapped. He's such a friendly and outgoing kid, it wouldn't have been hard for someone to take off with him quietly. What if I never got him back? Or what if I got him back but he was broken and damaged, never returning to the happy little boy he was before. What if...

_Jane._

What if her plan was to get me away from Edward and take my son? What would she do to him? Would she keep him safe? Or...

I pictured him lying still and cold in the morgue.

I stopped short and fought with the pain that ripped through my chest. He would be fine. He _had_ to be.

I got myself together enough to race around the cars to see if he was behind any of them. After I searched the entire parking lot, I pulled out my phone and called the police.

"Nine-one-one, what's your emergency?"

I took a shaky breath. "My son is missing," I choked out.

She took my information and asked me for a description of Eli. She then told me a squad car would be sent my way and to keep looking for him.

I followed her instructions, looking through the cars again as I dialed the number Aro had given me. He answered immediately.

"Bella? What can I help you with today?" he asked pleasantly.

"Aro? Eli's gone. I can't find him anywhere," I sobbed.

"Okay. Take a deep breath. Where are you?" I took a deep breath and told him. "Have you looked behind the building yet?" I could hear him put his keys in the ignition of his car and start it up.

"No." I saw the dumpster around the side of the building and jogged over to check behind it. "Hang on."

There, walking behind the dumpster, was Eli with whom I could only assume was Jane. She was tugging on his hand and dragging him over to a car, where a man sat in the driver's seat, waiting for them.

"Oh, God," I whispered.

"Bella?" Aro asked in alarm.

"I think it's Jane," I whispered again, continuously walking towards them.

"Don't move! I'll be right there!" I heard the click as he hung up and threw the phone on the ground.

The relief I felt was overwhelming. There wasn't a scratch on my son; not a hair out of place.

"Eli!" I called out, ignoring my fear and running over to them. "This is my son," I told her, pointing down at Eli.

She matched Edward's description perfectly. She was beautiful with dark brown hair cut short, making her look a bit androgynous. Her big, brown eyes bore into mine and I had to fight my reaction to flinch with her gaze.

I watched her closely, trying figure out why I had this nagging feeling that I knew her from someplace. I quickly stopped trying to place her face and focused on getting my son back. I could figure it out later.

I smiled brightly, keeping the recognition of the person next to my son off my face and out of my voice.

My hand flew up to my chest as I looked at Eli. "There you are! Why didn't you stay at the video games?"

He shrugged and looked down. "I dunno."

He knew he wasn't supposed to go anywhere alone or talk to strangers and I saw the guilty look cross his face as he kicked at the pebbles by his feet. I wanted to scoop him in my arms and kiss the hell out of him, but I knew I couldn't. Not yet.

Jane spoke. "I found him out here roaming around by himself." She smiled sweetly at me. "You know, you really should keep a better eye on him. Someone could have taken him. Or worse."

The threat did not go unnoticed by me.

I swallowed the bile that rose in the back of my throat and gave her a smile back, nodding. "Thank you so much. How can I ever repay you..."

"Anna."

I swallowed convulsively, trying to keep the nausea at bay again. "Anna. I'm Bella and this is Eli." I extended my hand to her.

She slowly took it, seemingly pleased with herself for some reason. I kept my expression even as she shook my hand. I knew I needed to try to keep her here until Aro got here, but inside I was screaming to run--run as fast as I could with Eli and never look back.

My fear won out. I could be brave some other day when I didn't have my son next to me. My main concern was to get him safely inside.

"Again, thank you so much." I held my hand out to Eli, who took it eagerly. "We should probably go tell Alice and Rosie that you're okay. You gave us quite a scare, baby."

"Sorry," he mumbled. His chin trembled and I heard his breath hitch.

I turned away and walked to the entrance. When I was nearly there, I heard a piercing scream and a string of profanities come from behind the building, but I never looked back. The fear that crept over my shoulder was like running away from the Bogey Man. As long as you didn't look behind you, he didn't exist.

We got inside and my strong facade finally cracked.

I crouched down and pulled Eli in my arms and cried.

"Thank God!" Alice came running over to us, motioning to Rosalie as she did.

"Baby, why did you do that?" My voice trembled.

"This man said he had puppies outside that I could look at. He told me they were by the trash, but when we got there, there weren't any puppies. Only that lady. She was making me go to her car with them. I tried to leave, but she caught me." He was crying now. "Mommy, I'm so sorry!"

I hugged him tightly against my chest and ran my fingers through his hair, kissing every bit of his skin I could find. "It's okay now. Just please. Don't _ever_ do anything like that again. Come and ask me first, all right?"

He nodded and I looked up at Alice and Rosalie who were hovering over us with pained expressions on their face. Rosalie wiped a tear from her eye and gave me a tight lipped smile.

"What happened?" Alice asked.

I shook my head and mouthed 'Jane', making both of their eyes widen dramatically. The thought of that woman touching my son made a wave of nausea crash through my body so severe, I bolted to the bathroom.

"Watch him!" I yelled on my way.

I heaved my dinner into the toilet violently, over and over again until I had nothing left in my stomach. My stomach was still pretty weak from being sick a few days ago. Apparently, it couldn't handle any more.

I rinsed out my mouth and went back to where Alice and Rosalie were now talking to Aro.

We gave him the story and tried to get Eli to give him a description of the man, but he could only remember that he had a Cubs hat on, like Edward's.

I picked Eli up and held him on my hip, not letting him go the entire time we were there. He must've needed it too, because he rested his head on my shoulder and squeezed me tightly. After waiting for Aro's team to finish investigating the exterior, we were finally allowed to leave and were told that Aro would be contacting me soon to go over the details with me again and check on Eli.

"Ms. Swan?" the officer asked me. I just stared blankly at him. "I'm under orders to follow you to your home and keep watch for the rest of my shift."

"All right." I pointed to Rosalie's BMW. "We're in that car there."

I had Rosalie take Eli and me home, where I immediately locked the doors and set the alarm behind us after thanking the police officer that now sat on the street outside my home.

Alice and Rosalie insisted they stay with me, even though I told them I needed some time alone to think, which I did none of while we waited for Edward. Maybe it was some sort of defense mechanism, but I was completely numb inside. They played hide and seek with Eli and left me alone the entire time.

I heard the garage door open with Edward's arrival an hour later. I weakly walked into the kitchen and leaned against the island, waiting for him to come through the door. He came in and quickly punched the code on the alarm before turning around towards me. His eyes finally met mine and I felt my lip quiver and my chest started heaving uncontrollably. I couldn't breathe. I felt my knees buckle and I gripped onto the counter, trying to keep upright.

I was vaguely aware that Alice and Rosalie were now behind me, holding me up, but I couldn't take my eyes off Edward. I heard the sob rip from my chest and he ran over to me and pulled me up, crushing me against his chest.

"What the fuck happened?!" he yelled at Alice.

I was sobbing loudly and was in no condition to answer him.

"Baby? Baby are you okay?" he asked fearfully, running his hand through my hair.

"Edward." He looked at Alice. "Jane got Eli to go outside without us and took him to the side of the building when we were eating."

I felt his arms tighten around me as his entire body went rigid. "WHAT?" he roared.

"She didn't hurt him, but she threatened Bella with him." She looked at me. "I should let Bella explain it after she calms down." She turned and went with Rosalie back into the living room.

I was still in his arms when he collapsed on the floor, pulling me down with him. I buried my face in his chest and continued to sob.

"He's okay?" he asked, needing reassurance.

"He...he's fine. He was upset at f...first, but he's fine now that we're h...ho...home."

"Thank God. What are we going to do?" I could hear the tears in his voice.

I looked up at him and saw his cheeks were wet and his beautiful face was contorted in pain. I didn't have an answer for him.

"I..I was so sc...sc...scared," I hiccupped. "I thought he was g...g...gone!" I cried.

"What happened?"

I told him, down to every last detail as well as I could. I still hadn't controlled my breathing.

"I've seen her before, Edward. But I can't remember where."

"If anything happened to you two, I could never live with myself." He took an uneven breath. "You shouldn't be near me. It's my fault she went after you. I didn't think..." He swallowed hard. "Bella. You shouldn't be with me. She's just going to continue to go after us if we stay together. I don't want to lose you--I can't imagine being without you--but I can't let you get hurt. I think it's best if we-"

I cut him off. I couldn't bear to hear the words. "Stop it. I'm not leaving you and you're not leaving me. So find another option," I said fiercely.

"Are you sure?"

"Very," I said sternly.

He nodded. "You're not going anywhere without me until I know you're safe. I will not let you or Eli out of my sight."

"What about school? We can't watch Eli while he's at school. Or at Jacob's. And we have to work, Edward."

"I'll figure something out," he stated confidently. He scooted back over and kissed me passionately. "I love you, so much. I'll never let her near you two again."

His voice was so full of conviction, I couldn't help but smile at him. "I love you, too."

"Are you all right now?" he asked, looking me over carefully.

I sniffled and gave him a watery smile. "I'll be okay. What about you?"

"I'll be better when I get done talking to Aro."


	26. Chapter 26

**Thanks for the reviews--I love them**

**Jane was always the actual bad guy, but I wasn't going to make it easy for you. Hehe. Jacob was a distraction--even though he is an asshole ;)**

**And yes, you should know where Bella has seen Jane before...some of you caught it when I updated with that chapter a while back, so claps for you!**

**Oh, and for those of you who, like me, would have gone all Mama bear on Jane's ass, Bella will not be the delicate little flower any longer...**

**This chapter deals with mental illness and drug use. I researched everything in this chapter for hours and made sure that it was as realistic and plausible as possible. If I happened to mess something up, please take it with a grain of salt but let me know.**

**Ah, angst...**

**Don't kill me. That's all I have to say.**

***~***

Chapter 26

**Edward**

"NO!" I roared. "It's not fucking good enough!"

I paced the police station as I took all my anger out on Aro. I knew it was irrational, but I was so terrified of something happening to Bella or Eli, I didn't know what else to do. I wanted--no _needed_--for this to all be over.

I didn't sleep the entire night. I held on to Bella and listened to her tormented dreams. Dreams of her screaming for Eli with such agony, it nearly destroyed me.

I looked over at Bella, who was curled up in the chair, watching us with tears streaming down her face and nearly collapsed. I couldn't bear to see the sadness and the fear in her eyes. I hadn't been able to protect her. I hadn't been able to protect Eli. And for that, I didn't know if I could ever forgive myself.

I felt Emmett's hand grab my shoulder and shook it off. "You need to calm down," he said forcefully.

"NO! I will not calm down!" I spun around and faced him. "This woman tried to take MY SON! She has his toys! It's been something she's planned all along!" I was getting out of control. "She needs to be found. NOW!"

"Edward," Aro said calmly, "we're looking for her. I was almost to the restaurant in time to catch her." I heard Bella sob with his words but didn't face her. I couldn't. "We've got round the clock surveillance at your home and there will be a police officer tailing you and Bella wherever you go. We've also notified the school to tighten security and instead of going out to recess with the rest of his class, Eli will go to the gym with the principal to play. And once Bella can remember where she's seen Jane, I'll have another avenue to track her down."

"You think I'm letting Eli go to school?" I asked angrily. "We kept him home with my parents today because there was no way I was letting him go _anywhere_ with Jane trying to take him!"

"You can't keep him locked up, Cullen," Emmett said stoically.

I pinched the bridge of my nose and tried to calm down. I wasn't getting anywhere. Yelling and screaming at my brother and Aro wasn't going to do any good. I was just keeping them from being able to search for Jane.

"Edward, I'm s...s...sorry," Bella sobbed.

I slowly lowered my hand and looked over at her. Her face was buried in her knees and her entire body racked with her cries. I heard myself let out a strangled moan at the sight.

I went over to her and crouched down next to her, grabbing her arms and gently lifting her off her knees so I could see her face. "Wha-" My voice broke. I was so close to breaking down. "What are you sorry for, baby?"

" I...I let her ge...get aw...w...wa...way," she hiccupped. "It's my fault!"

She started crying again, almost hysterically. I picked her up and sat in her place, putting her in my lap and wrapping myself around her.

"Shh. It's not your fault, a ghrá. You did what you thought was best for Eli," I cooed in her ear.

"No!" she cried.

"What do you mean 'no'?" I asked softly.

"I...I wanted to get him in the restaurant where I knew he'd be safe. But I was so scared. Not just because of Jane trying to take Eli. But of Jane _herself_. I...I panicked! I wish...I should have done something! Hit her, tried to grab her. _Something_!"

She tried to bury her face in her hands, but I stopped her. "You did the right thing," I said fiercely. "You have no idea how to fight. You had no weapon. You were alone with Eli. Do you honestly think that if you would have tried to fight her, that you or Eli would be here--right now--completely unharmed? You wouldn't be able to focus on taking Jane down while you worried whether or not Eli was still okay. You could have gotten hurt. Or worse." I swallowed the sob that threatened to bring me down.

"He's right, Bella. There's no way you could have tried to keep an eye on Eli and fight Jane without getting yourself or Eli hurt in the process," Aro told her. "You have to remember. She does have combat training."

She nodded and wiped her face with the tissue Emmett gave her. When she looked back up, her eyes were full of fire. "Teach me how to fight." I blinked in shock at the turn the conversation had taken. "Teach me how to defend myself. How to keep her from being able to run away. I _will not_ live like this anymore. I _will not_ let her get away again."

"You want to learn how to fight, Baby Bird?" Emmett asked with a smile. "We can teach you how to fight!"

I looked over at Bella warily. As much as I didn't want to picture any kind of situation where she would need to know how to defend herself or take down an attacker, I had to admit I'd feel much better if she did. Not only because of Jane, but because we lived in a world filled of thieves, rapists, and murderers. She wasn't in the nice little town of Forks anymore. She was in Chicago. This kind of shit happened every fucking day.

"Fucking fuck, fuck, fuck," I muttered to myself. "She's right." I ran my hand through my hair and looked at everyone. "When do we start?"

******************************

"Okay, Bella? I want you to come after me." Emmett grinned at her devilishly.

I watched Bella purse her lips and look Emmett's stance over. She lunged forward, trying to reach for his nuts, but Emmett grabbed her and slammed her down on the mat. Her air went out of her body in a whoosh, and I had to fight my instinct not to run over there and kick the shit out of Emmett for touching her.

"Ow," she whimpered, laughing slightly.

"Not bad. But you're too slow. And Jane's not a guy so that won't work on her." Emmett helped her up. "Try it again."

I bent my head down and studied the medical journal I had brought with me, trying to concentrate on the new laparoscopic procedure that was being described instead of Bella attempting to attack my brother.

Without realizing it, I had gotten so wrapped up in what I was reading, I had stopped paying attention to Bella and Emmett and was startled by the sound of Emmett's lungs emptying at Bella's kick and a loud groan as he went down to his knees.

"Good job, Jingle Bells. Fucking awesome kick," he panted.

I looked up to see Bella grinning triumphantly over Emmett as she pushed her sweaty hair away from her face.

"Did you see that?" she asked me excitedly.

"No," I admitted. "But I heard it. I take it you're making good progress?"

"Hell yeah, she is. I think she could kick Jane's ass in a heartbeat with a couple more lessons," Emmett said, getting up.

"Good," I said, honestly. I marked my place and stood up. "Want to pick up some lunch before we go home?"

She grinned and nodded. "Yeah. I'm starving."

I couldn't help but laugh. "I bet."

"What about me? Don't I get any lunch?" Emmett asked, pouting slightly.

Bella laughed. "Come on, you big gorilla. You can come, too. Our treat."

"Sweet!"

Aro came into the room, carrying a huge stack of papers and smiled. "Excellent. You're still here." We all looked at him curiously. "I got Jane's medical records."

My eyes widened at the amount of paperwork involved. "Is _all_ that her medical records?" He nodded. "Holy fuck."

"I'll say. Want to see what you're darling ex has been seeing the doctor for?" he asked me mischievously.

"You're damn right I do!"

We all huddled up on the floor as Aro began explaining everything to us. "Jane was admitted to a psych hospital in Maryland just after she signed the agreement your lawyer drew up. After being observed for a few days, the doctors determined she had a form of paranoid schizophrenia--with the main symptoms being hallucinations, delusions, anger, and violence."

"I said something to you before about that," I mentioned.

"Yes. You did." He smiled at me. "You're very good at your job, Edward. You didn't even specialize in psychology and you caught it." He looked back down at the paper. "They began her treatment by prescribing mood stabilizers and anti-psychotics. She began talking to a therapist, whom she continued to see for the year that was required in the agreement." He looked up at me. "Jane described your break up to your therapist in detail, matching what you told me. However, I know now what happened in those two days before her phone calls to you began."

I leaned forward. "What?"

"She OD'd, Edward." I mouth dropped in shock. "It seems her psychiatrist believes that she has always had schizophrenic tendencies, but she was always able to hide them. The drugs that entered her system caused her brain chemistry to change just enough that it brought those tendencies to the surface. Or so the theory goes."

"What? Why would she do that?" I felt Bella's hand touch my arm and I quickly grabbed it and intertwined our fingers.

"She wanted to kill herself. It's one of the symptoms of schizophrenia." I nodded. I knew this, but it didn't make me feel any less guilty. "She found a dealer willing to shoot her up with heroin and give her some pills." He checked her records. "Looks like Valium that was taken with alcohol. She's extremely lucky she didn't die."

_No shit. _

"But that was supposed to be the point, wasn't it?" He nodded. "What did they treat her with? Narcan?"

"Yes, I believe so." He checked the records and nodded in affirmation. "When she was released from the hospital, she was under the delusion that you still loved her--which was the reason for the phone calls. Her delusions eventually became more severe and she believed you'd been cheating on her so she broke into your room and looked for evidence, destroying half of your belongings in anger during the process. She was also still doing drugs at this point, causing her..." he trailed off and looked at Bella, "monthly cycle to become disturbed which is where the pregnancy claim came from."

"How did no one notice she was on drugs at the hospital when she took the fucking pregnancy test?" I asked incredulously. "They didn't do a full work up?"

He chuckled. "No. You happened to get the laziest lab tech the hospital had. He was fired not too long after you came in because he missed diagnosing a patient with some sort of lymphoma. I don't know the details. The point is he ran her blood for the pregnancy hormones only."

"Why did she stab him?" Bella questioned.

"Again. Delusions. She believed Edward had gotten the hospital to falsify the results somehow." He looked at me seriously. "Do you remember her going to the bathroom before she had her blood drawn?" I nodded. "She went into the supply room and found the scalpel she used to stab you. Also, she admitted to having a hallucination after the nurse told you the results were negative. Your son told her not to let you get away with abandoning him. So she stabbed you."

"Jesus," Emmett whispered.

"So why now? Why Bella?"

"I don't have an explanation for that. I spoke to her last psychiatrist on the phone before I came in here and he told me that she had progressively been getting worse, rather than better, even though she was still taking her medications religiously. He recommended that she undergo Electroconvulsive therapy, but she refused. He was certain that it would help her more than the medications she was taking.

"My best guess is that she stopped taking them, like her friends suggested and her symptoms came back in full force. She saw you at the aquarium and the delusions started again. Bella just got caught up in all this because she's your fiancée."

"I should have been able to see the signs. I should have tried to help her. Instead, I was so wrapped up in my own life, I sent her on her way and never gave her another thought." I took my hand away from Bella and got up, walking over to the opposite side of the room.

She needed help and I didn't help her. What kind of a person did that to someone they dated for almost a year? What kind of person claimed to care for someone, only to walk away from them when they needed you most? What kind of person did that make me?

"Edward?" Bella asked softly. "Are you all right?"

"No. I should have helped her and I didn't." The guilt that I felt seemed to root me in place. "I..."

"Hey!" She took my face in her hands. "You were young. You were scared. You weren't a doctor yet. How were you supposed to know?" I shrugged, unwilling to answer her. "This isn't your fault. It's not even _Jane's_ fault. She can't help it. We just have to find her and get her the help she needs before she tries to hurt us again."

I leaned down and pressed my forehead against her. "You are fucking amazing, you know that, Bella?"

"You're not so bad yourself." Her stomach rumbled. "Come on. Let's go get something to eat. Emmett's practically dying of starvation over there."

******************************

**Bella**

I had been working all day, trying to get the recipes Edward and I had come up with for the restaurant perfected before Edward came home. I had my meeting with Alistair in the morning and I couldn't wait to see if he liked them or not. If he didn't like something, I could try to revamp it this evening before I went to bed.

Edward came into the kitchen just as I was plating the last dish.

He looked around and grinned. "What's all this?"

"A distraction," I said pleasantly. "I thought I'd make everything we thought of for the restaurant and let you try it out. If you don't like something, we can fix it or just toss it out."

He frowned slightly. "A distraction? Bella-"

I cut him off. "Stop it. I need this. I need to quit thinking about Jane and when she's coming back and what she's going to do next. I need to quit thinking about how I shouldn't have let her get away. I need to live my life. I'm not going to get any better unless I try."

I couldn't stop thinking about it for the last few days. I felt torn between trying to make sure my family was safe by spending every free second I had training with Emmett and feeling guilty for wanting to hurt someone that clearly just needed help. Add the fact that I'd beaten myself up over letting my fear win out at the restaurant and you got this result--Bella as an emotional, stressed-out wreck.

I was honestly looking forward to my meeting with Alistair. I needed to be able to focus on something I loved, rather than the disaster that was my life. And I was desperately in need of some good news. I had barely slept since Eli was almost taken. Every night I had nightmares. Dreams of ghostly hands reaching out and snatching Eli, while I just stood there, unable to move--completely helpless as I screamed for the entity to bring my son back to me. Dreams where I robotically handed him over to the unnamed demon and watched him wiggle and writhe in it's arms, pleading and crying for me to save him and did nothing to help him. I'd woken up on more than one occasion with Edward grasping at my flailing arms, pleading for me to wake up and calm down. Nights where I'd woken up with a sore throat from screaming out in my sleep.

He watched me carefully for a moment before nodding slightly and letting it go.

"Where's Eli?" He asked instead, coming over and kissing me sweetly.

"Upstairs." I handed him a fork. "I hope you're hungry!" I said in mock excitement.

He chuckled. "I am." He looked at all the food. "Where do I begin?"

"How about we start at the appetizers?"

Edward dug in--tasting everything from the Irish potato cakes to the lamb stew. He finished his last bite and smiled.

"It's really good, baby." He looked around the food on the counter. "What are we going to do with the rest of it?"

"I'm going to pack everything up and take it with me tomorrow for Alistair to taste. Do you really like it?" I asked nervously. "_All_ of it?"

"I loved everything. I swear." He leaned down and grinned crookedly. "Don't you dare say anything to Carlisle, but your fish and chips were _so_ much better than Mamó's."

I giggled. "Really?"

"Um-hm. Come here," he murmured, tracing his tongue across my lips before kissing me deeply.

"Edward!" Eli yelled, coming over and hugging his legs, breaking our kiss.

"Hey, little man. Ready to see your dad tonight?" he asked, ruffling Eli's hair.

"Yeah." Eli turned around and raced out of the kitchen. "I gotta play my game before Daddy gets here!"

I laughed at him and turned back to Edward, who was looking down at me seriously. "What?"

"We need to tell Jacob, Bella."

"No," I said adamantly, looking away.

"Bella," he pulled my face back to his, "we have to. As much as I hate to admit it, if he knows the situation and who to look for, he can help us keep Eli protected. I can't keep our son safe when he's not with me."

I thrilled with his words. _Our son._ "I don't want to fight with him."

"I know. But, Bella? If this was happening to Jacob instead of us, don't you think you would want to know? Wouldn't you feel you had a _right_ to know?"

_Damn it. I hated it when he was right._

"Fine," I sighed. "But I need you to be there when I do. There's no telling how he'll react."

It wouldn't be good, that much I knew.

"You got it."

Edward and I got the food packed up and put it in the garage refrigerator, ready for me to take it to Alistair tomorrow. We had Eli go upstairs and clean his room and his game mess up in the bonus room, since it would most likely take him an hour, and waited on the couch for Jacob to get here.

"I'm sorry."

I looked over to see his guilty expression and felt it tug at my heart. "I know. But you have nothing to be sorry for."

"Bella-"

I grabbed his lips with my fingers. "Please don't. Not again." I turned my body towards him and met his green eyes with mine. " Just because you happen to know her does not in any way make this your fault. If it wouldn't have been you, it would have been someone else."

He took a deep breath. "You're right. I can't help but think that if I hadn't have ignored the situation, this wouldn't be happening."

I cupped his face with my hand. "Not your fault. Remember?"

He leaned over and kissed me tenderly just as there was a knock on the door. I broke away from Edward and got up to answer it.

"Hey," I said to Jacob as I opened the door.

He stepped inside. "You know there's a cop outside?"

"Yeah."

"What's going on?" He looked around. "It's awfully quiet in here. Where's Eli?"

"Upstairs. Sit down." I pointed to the chair in the living room.

Jacob walked into the living room and glared at Edward as he sat down. Apparently that relationship wasn't getting any better. "I'm sitting. Now would you tell me what the hell is going on?"

"Um...I, uh..." I stuttered.

Edward gripped my hand with his and looked Jacob square in the eye. "There's a cop outside because Bella had a run in with Jane the other day."

"What?" he shouted.

"Hey!" I said angrily. "Eli's upstairs," I reminded him.

He glanced over at the stairs and started again. "What happened this time?" he asked crossly.

"She tried to take Eli," Edward said calmly, squeezing my hand.

Jacob's eyes narrowed and the tendons on his neck stood out. I watched his fingers curl at his sides and wondered if maybe we should have had Emmett with us.

"She tried to take my fucking son!?" he shouted.

"Calm down, Jake!" I yelled.

He glared at me. "How can I be calm about something like this?"

"Jacob, there are extenuating circumstances involving Jane's behavior," Edward explained.

"Like what?" he spat, never looking away from me.

"She has paranoid schizophrenia. And she's not on her medication."

"Jesus Christ! That just makes it even better, doesn't it?! You've allowed some crazy chick to come into my son's life!" Jacob turned his heated stare towards Edward. "I _knew_ it was a bad idea that Bella let you around Eli, no matter how fucking great you are with him!" He stood up. "Don't fucking come near him again, you hear me, Cullen? I don't want you anywhere near my son!"

"Jacob!" I yelled, shocked. "Be reasonable!"

"Be reasonable? Are you fucking kidding me, Bella? OUR SON WAS ALMOST KIDNAPPED BECAUSE OF HIM!" he roared, pointing at Edward. "I ought to take you to court and get Eli as far away from the two of you as possible!"

I pulled in a sharp breath at the pain the radiated throughout my chest and felt my eyes swim with tears.

"You can't!" I cried.

"Watch me."

Edward stood up and faced Jacob. "You can hate me all you want. I don't give a fuck. But what good is it going to do to take Eli away from his mother? Do you think that he's going to be _okay_ if you do? Because I certainly don't."

"Please don't try to take him from me, Jake." I was blubbering now.

Jacob watched me collapse on the floor and rest my head against my knees. I couldn't breathe. Couldn't think. All I could concentrate on was the excruciating pain that seemed to slither along my skin, burning--scorching--every part of me. I didn't know what I'd do if Jacob took Eli away from me. Cease to function, I suppose.

I heard a shuffle on the carpet and felt Edward's hand touch my back. "Don't fucking touch her," he fumed. "You've done enough to her."

"Oh, and like this situation is any better for her?" Jacob asked sarcastically.

"Of course not! But you're not making this any better for her," Edward snarled.

"Some crazy ex of yours is out to get you and I'm supposed to just let my son _stay_ with you? Exactly how am I suppose to react to this, Cullen?"

"Not like this! Would it help if I wasn't in the picture? If you want, I'll gladly disappear from their lives if it meant that you wouldn't take Eli away from her." Edward's voice was full of pain.

"No! Edward, please!" I wailed, crying even harder. "You can't leave me!"

I wrapped myself in a tight ball, trying to hide from the words that Edward had just spoken. I wanted to walk into a burning building, rake hot coals across my skin--do anything to distract myself from the debilitating pain of Edward leaving me.

"Shh. It's all right, a ghrá." He rubbed circles on my back.

"Don't leave me," I sobbed.

My chest heaved uncontrollably as I struggled to breathe. It felt like my lungs were being squeezed with a vise and were unable to get any air. Black dots danced across my vision as I felt my head getting lighter and lighter. I could hear my loud gasps, coming in quick and hard, but I couldn't seem to stop myself. I wasn't sure I wanted to stop myself. With each tortured breath, I felt my mind slowly detaching itself from the pain; I was becoming numb.

"Oh, baby." Edward said, agonized. "I'm not going anywhere. I love you too much not to be with you."

He grabbed me and pulled me into his arms, hugging me so tightly against him, the only movement I could make was to breathe in time with him. My chest rose and fell with his, allowing my brain to function normally again. His touch soothed the fire, eventually calming me down.

"Then why would you say that?" I asked shakily, looking into his teary eyes.

"Because he's your son. I would disappear if it meant keeping Eli in your life. It would kill me to do it, but I'd do it if Jacob asked me to." He ran his thumb across my cheek, wiping away some of the tears, and pleaded silently for me to understand with his eyes.

And as much as it broke my heart, I did.

"I'm not going to make you break up with her. She obviously loves you and I'm tired of hurting her." Jacob sounded exhausted.

Edward continued to rub circles on my back and whisper soothing words while I continuously battled to calm myself.

After a while, Jacob spoke. "Bella?"

I slowly raised my head and looked at Jacob. His eyes were still furious but his face had softened dramatically as he watched me sob on the floor.

"Wh...What d...do you w...wa...want from me, Jake?" I wiped at the tears that seemed to be continuously falling.

"I don't know, Bells. I need some time to think about this."

"Are...are you going to take Eli from me?" I asked meekly. "Please don't. I couldn't stand it if you did."

I saw his body start to move towards me before he straightened up and cleared his throat. "No, I won't. I need to go. I'll...I'll be back in a little bit and we can figure something out."

He bolted out the door, leaving Edward and I alone in his wake.


	27. Chapter 27

**Thank you thank you thank you for the reviews!!! **

**Just to answer a question I got on a few reviews...Yes: Bella and Edward will be having a baby Cullen...AFTER they get married. And that's all I'm giving you. **

**Lemon ahead...and it goes out especially to farmgirl14 and DesperateRomantic...I rewrote it a little bit over the weekend to include a couple requests ;) Tatts and Eli...that's all I'm sayin'**

**This chapter sets up some of the things that will be going on in the middle of the Jane mess.**

**Enjoy!**

***~***

Chapter 27

**Edward**

After Jacob left, I took Bella to her room and managed to help her steady her breathing and stop her crying. She drifted to sleep, still hiccupping slightly, and I wanted to beat the shit out of Jacob Black for doing this to her. Again.

Although, I suppose it was partly my fault as well. I led Jane to Bella and Eli. I was obviously no good for them, but I didn't know how to stay away. Just the thought of not being able to touch Bella or see Eli's smiling face made my heart feel like it would shatter into a million fucking pieces and scatter on the floor around me.

I was thankful Jacob didn't take me up on my offer to disappear from their lives. I would have somehow figured out a way to do it, but not only would it have hurt me, it would have hurt Bella in the process, too. The sorrow in her voice when she begged me not leave her was unbearable.

I would do anything to keep her from sounding so miserable again.

I got Eli fed, bathed, and in the bed since Jacob just left him here. We were extremely lucky that Eli was too busy watching his TV upstairs to hear the loud shouts, cursing, and sobs that went on between his parents and I.

I didn't know when Jacob planned on coming back and what would happen when he did. Was he going to disappear for a couple of weeks again? Or would Bella be served with papers contesting her custody of Eli?

My entire body felt as if I has walked into a car-crusher and lived; compressed and broken to the point of no return. Every bone--every muscle--in my body ached painfully with the thought of Eli no longer being allowed in Bella's life.

I went back to the couch and tried to watch TV but it was no use. I couldn't concentrate on anything. I couldn't even think straight anymore. I was stuck in the black vortex of guilt and despair. I sat there, dazed, feeling as if my heart was a lead weight pounding heavily in my chest.

There was a soft knock on the door and I groaned as I went to answer it. Jacob stood there scowling when he saw me. I skipped the pleasantries.

"Bella and Eli are both asleep. If you think it's going to turn into a shouting match again, you can just come back tomorrow."

He shook his head. "I'm not going to shout. I think I have an idea that you and Bella might go for."

I looked at him inquisitively for a moment before stepping aside. "Let me wake her up."

I went into our room and found her curled up into a ball, hugging her chest to her knees. Even her sleep wasn't peaceful. I reached out and smoothed out the crease between her brows before I gently shook her.

"Bella? Love?" She moaned. "Jacob's downstairs and he says he has an idea that might help us."

"Okay," she said sleepily. Her eyes were swollen and bloodshot.

The pain that shot through my heart was all most crippling.

I swallowed it down so that I could speak. "Are you feeling all right?"

"I'm fine." I looked at her incredulously. She did not in any way look '_fine_'. "I promise."

We walked back downstairs and sat with Jacob in the kitchen in case things got loud again.

"What's this idea of yours?" I asked.

"First, I want to apologize to Bella for acting the way I did earlier. The thought of someone being able to take Eli away without you noticing scared the shit out of me."

"Jake, I-" Bella started, trembling, but was interrupted by Jacob.

"No, listen. I don't mean it like you're a bad mother. The opposite. I meant that I know how you are with him and you don't let him out of your sight unless there's someone else with you. The thought of someone being able to take Eli away from _someone like you_ terrified me."

"Thanks," she said quietly.

"I shouldn't have told you I was taking Eli away from you. That would have been the stupidest move on the planet. It was just a knee-jerk reaction. He needs you." He looked between us. "Both of you."

I was completely speechless.

"And Cullen, I shouldn't have acted that way towards you either." I was still speechless, but this time, my mouth dropped open in shock with an audible 'pop'. "You're not actually a bad guy. It's just a very shitty situation."

"Yes, it is," I managed to get out.

"We're both in love with the same girl, only you get to have her. I've stopped trying to interfere with her life and let her be happy because I knew I fucked it up. Even if she wasn't with you, I could never have her because of everything I've done. And now that I've got to deal with some crazy bitch trying to take off with my son--it kind of hit me all at once. Took me a few months to really, truly get it through my head, but..." He gave Bella a weak smile.

"Jake-" Bella protested.

She stopped as he looked at her intensely. He swallowed thickly before speaking again. "I need to know exactly what happened."

She exhaled loudly. "When she hired those guys to trash my house, she had them take some of Eli's toys and drop them off someplace. It scared the hell out of me, but I...I didn't think that she'd actually try to take him, you know?" Jacob nodded. "I went shopping with Alice and Rose and afterwards we went to get something to eat. I got up to use the bathroom and let Eli go play the video games since Alice and Rose were only a couple tables away. I don't know how, but somehow some guy got him to go outside with him under the pretense of looking at his puppies." She bit down on her lip, trying not to cry. "Jane was waiting for them outside. I think...I think they got him to the car but he took off back towards the door. Jane caught up with him at the dumpster and she was dragging him by the hand back over to the car when I found them." She sobbed once and took a shaky breath, wiping the at the tear that was streaming down her cheek. "I managed to get him back inside with me safely, but I should have...I shouldn't have let her get away. I should have stopped her."

Jacob's brows knit and I heard him inhale deeply as he scrubbed his eyes with his fists. "It was that close, huh?" he asked her shakily.

"Yeah. Jake, I'm so sorry," she cried.

I felt a tear fall down my face and quickly wiped it off as I sniffled, causing both of them to look in my direction.

_Yes, I am a complete and total fucking patsy when it comes to that kid. Sue me._

"Stop it. You got him away from her safely. So thank you."

He slowly reached out and touched her hand in reassurance. She latched on to it and squeezed tightly, bending over the table and crying silently. Without warning, she let go of Jacob's hand and launched herself in my arms, causing my chair to almost tip backwards to the ground.

I pulled her against me and buried my face in her hair, squeezing my eyes shut and inhaling deeply as her sobs shook my entire body. I felt the agony of watching her sob again shoot through my chest and had to grit my teeth and stifle a gasp as it branched its way throughout my entire body, causing all my nerves to twitch painfully.

She eventually pulled away and gave me a soft kiss before wiping her face and sitting back down in her chair.

Jacob wiped his own face and took a deep breath. "Now that we've gotten that out of the way, here's what I was thinking. When I left earlier, I drove around town for a while trying to figure out a way to keep her from getting to him again. At first, I wanted to just remove him from the situation and bring him to stay with me until the police catch this bitch. But that won't work. I don't get off until five, leaving almost three hours after school that Eli would have to be in someone else's care. Not only that, but he'd still be in Chicago. I've been in and out of both of your houses with him. I'm sure my apartment is no safer for him than it is here. If she's been following the two of you, I'm sure she's followed me once or twice as well," he said bitterly. We both nodded in agreement. "So, I was thinking we could have Eli stay with our dads until this is settled."

"In Forks?" Bella asked.

"Where else, Bells?"

She frowned. "Oh, right."

"What about his school?" I asked.

"We can sign him up in Forks and tell his school here in Chicago that he'll be in out of the state for a while but that he'll definitely be back before next year. It happens all the time."

I felt lighter as the hope rushed through me. This might actually work.

_Please let it fucking work._

Eli would be with Charlie--Police Chief Swan--on the other side of the country, far away from Jane. It was the best place I could think of for him until he could be back home in Chicago with us safely.

I looked at Bella and waited for her answer. "How long do you think this will last?" she asked me.

I shrugged. "I don't know, but if it's only the two of us, we might be able to work with the police a little better and find Jane faster."

"I don't know if I can go without seeing him for a long time. I've never been away from him for longer than a weekend at a time," Bella said uneasily.

"We can visit him on the weekends, Bells," Jacob answered with a smile.

"Jacob, I don't want to lead Jane to him. She might get desperate and try to take him to use him against us--again."

Jacob looked at me and grinned. "I thought of that. That's why we'll have Dad and Charlie meet us someplace else. One weekend it could be someplace obscure, the next weekend we could meet up in LA. Anywhere but Forks."

I turned to Bella. "What do you think?"

"I think it sounds like a pretty good idea, actually."

Jacob looked at Bella. "You act like I'm an idiot or something," he teased.

She giggled softly and scrunched her nose up with her smile. "You are, didn't you know that?"

"Sorry. I must've forgotten." He rolled his eyes.

I watched them lightly tease each other and my lips turned up into a small smile. I may not have the highest opinion of Jacob, but I was willing to overlook it all if it just kept that beautiful fucking smile on my girl's face.

Bella took a deep breath. "Okay, Billy can watch Eli in the afternoons after school until Charlie gets off work. Charlie will keep him overnight and be the one to fly Eli someplace every Friday after school."

"Unless Dad wants to come," Jacob cut in.

"Right, but Charlie will still have to come since Billy won't be able to get on and off a plane with Eli by himself," Bella pointed out.

Jacob laughed. "Eli _is_ a handful."

I furrowed my brows. "Why can't Jacob's dad come with Eli alone?"

"Dad's in a wheelchair," Jacob answered.

"Oh. I'm sorry to hear that."

Jacob shrugged. "It's fine. He makes the most of it."

We continued to hammer out the details until midnight, when Jacob finally left. Jacob and Bella would both talk to their fathers in the morning and explain the situation while I called Aro to let him know our plans and see if he had any suggestions for us.

Bella and I went into our room and quickly got ready for bed, both of us too exhausted to speak as we changed clothes and brushed our teeth.

We climbed in the bed and she scooted next to me, intent on snuggling up to me. I wrapped my body around her, staring into her face.

"Are you really all right with all of this?" I questioned.

"As long as you'll stay with me," she answered.

"Where else am I going to go? I can't picture my life without you or Eli in it. And when I try, I feel like someone's reached in and ripped my heart out. I honestly don't know how to stay away from you."

She gave me an affectionate smile. "Good, because I don't know how to stay away from you either."

I reached over and turned off the light, basking in the feel of her warm body next to mine.

"Bella?" I asked after a while, wondering if she'd fallen asleep or not.

"Yeah?" she asked sleepily.

"I'm sorry I said I'd disappear from yours and Eli's lives." I could feel my pulse hammering in my throat as I thought about her reaction, threatening to beat me into oblivion with my stupidity.

"It's okay. I know why you did it," she said quietly.

"You do?"

I felt her nod against my face. "You would sacrifice everything we have together if it meant keeping Eli in my life. Thank you."

I was silent for a little bit. "Bella?"

"Hmm?"

"I'm actually extremely fucking selfish. If I ever say something like that again, ignore it."

******************************

**Bella**

I woke up early and stretched, feeling considerably better than I'd felt last night before Jacob came back. I wiped my still swollen eyes and watched the morning sun stream through the window. I felt hope. Relief. Even though the situation with Jane wasn't over, we had a game plan. A strategy to help keep my son safe. Last night was the first time in a week that I'd slept dreamlessly, no longer haunted by the thought of Jane finding another way to snatch Eli and cause him harm because in a couple of days, he would no longer be in Chicago. He would be two thousand miles away, safe from all this madness.

I never thought I'd be able to say it again, but I had Jacob Black to thank for it.

I rolled over and looked at the amazing man sleeping next to me. He called himself selfish when in fact he was the most selfless person I'd ever known. He was willing to give up the life we were making together--our future--if it just meant that I could keep Eli in my life. He had given up his life as a single man, everything he was used to, to be with me. To be a father to Eli.

I watched his muscular chest rise and fall with his long, deep breaths before running my gaze along the inscription on his arm. I suddenly had this intense desire to reach out and skim my tongue along the scripted letters. To kiss and lick every single tattoo on that man's body. To know that the image in front of me wasn't a mirage. That he was real and I could taste his musky-sweet skin and touch his smooth, hard body.

I moved so that I was laying beside him and began slowly tracing the planes of his chest with my fingers, grazing the outlines of each one of his defined ab muscles, dipping under the covers and tracing the indent of his hip bones as I waited for him to wake up. He was the sexiest, most handsome man I had ever laid eyes on. I silently thanked God and his parents for the DNA that had combined to make him.

He stirred and gradually opened his eyes, looking down at what I was doing and responding with a slow, sexy smile. His eyes met mine and I watch them calculate my mood, examining me to make sure I was no longer the hysterical mess I was last night. Seemingly pleased with what he saw, he grinned crookedly and laid his hand on mine, moving with me as I continued to run my fingers over his skin.

"Can I help you with something this morning?"

I nodded and looked at him seductively. "I think you can."

He cocked his eyebrow. "And what exactly is it that you need, Isabella?"

I almost moaned with the sound of my full name on his lips. "You," I said quietly.

"I think that can be arranged," he smirked.

I turned my hand around so that our palms were together and grabbed his hand, bringing his arm to my mouth. In one slow, deliberate stroke, I ran my tongue along the inscription starting from his wrist and working my way up to his bicep, keeping my eyes on his as they darkened before me and kissing the skin lightly before I pulled back and moved the covers off his body.

He watched me move down to his legs where I motioned for him to turn around without saying a word. His brows knit but he did as he I asked, comfortably laying his head back on his pillow, only for a hiss to escape from between his teeth when I swirled my tongue over the Devil Doc logo and nipped the skin on his calf before repeating the process on the scorpion on his other calf.

I sinuously moved up his body and ran my hands up the strong muscles in his back before I dipped my head down to his shoulder blades and trailed open mouthed kisses over the Irish cross that was nestled between them, causing goose bumps to cover Edward's entire body.

I moved to his ear, biting down gently and licking the lobe with my tongue before I whispered, "Turn around."

He flipped around and grabbed the back of my neck, pulling me down to him, and forced my mouth open with his, moving his tongue with mine recklessly. I managed to break away from the kiss, even though my entire body throbbed with my longing for him to keep kissing me like that and fuck me right then.

I gave him a playful look. "Uh-uh. There's still two more."

I ducked down and ran my fingers over the family crest on his ribs before I licked every inch of it with my tongue, causing a groan to vibrate in his chest against my mouth, almost to my undoing. Before my mouth moved away from the tattoo, I kissed the scar that was hidden there reverently--apologetically--and heard his breath hitch in his throat.

I went back to his chest and kissed my way down his stomach, moving my hands to his pajama pants and tugging them down his hips when I got to his waist. I felt his muscles contract as he sat up, pushing them the rest of the way down before laying back again.

I looked down at the floating notes that seemed to dance from the middle of his stomach to just underneath his right hipbone while I ran my thumb across them. I brought my mouth down to it and lightly skimmed my tongue along those beautiful notes, starting from the outside and working my way in. His hips bucked up against me when I reached the very first note and I couldn't stop my smile against his stomach.

He reached down and ripped my shirt off in one fluid movement and brought me up his body in one strong pull. His mouth attacked mine and we both moaned simultaneously at the surge of electricity that passed between us as soon as our tongues met.

I straddled him and felt his hardness underneath me. He moved his hands to my hips and ground me into him once before he broke away from me, pushing me away from him and sitting up.

"Fuck this," he growled, standing up on the side of the bed and grabbing my legs out from underneath me, pulling me towards the edge of the bed.

I heard the tear of fabric as he ripped my panties down my legs and watched him toss them across the room before he came back down on me and kissed me roughly. Our teeth clashed as the overwhelming need for one another overtook anything else. His movements were desperate as he roughly kneaded my breasts and ran his hands over my body. He pushed my legs further apart and thrust into me brutally with a feral snarling sound, making every inch of my body go into sensory overload.

I felt my entire body shudder as he pulled out and slammed back into me, grunting loudly as he moved his head to the crook of my neck and bit down. I came unexpectedly, screaming out as I writhed and struggled to break away from the painful pleasure that overtook my body.

My entire body convulsed as he continued to thrust himself into me. He reached around my shoulders and pulled me up against him, bending his head down and watching his dick push into me repeatedly.

"Edward," I moaned loudly against him as I felt my entire body clench up again and near a second release.

"Fuck, Bella," he ground out, never taking his eyes off our connection. "Watch with me."

I bent my head down and groaned as I watched his movements became faster and harder as he violently drove into me.

"Edward, I'm..." I couldn't speak anymore as I came with such force, I had to squeeze my eyes closed. Biting down on my lip and drawing blood, I sucked in a sharp breath and felt every muscle in my core pulse rhythmically around him.

I felt the muscles in his jaw clench and he groaned my name loudly. His entire body locked up as he came inside me, jerking twice as his orgasm ebbed.

We stayed joined together, holding on to one another tightly as we gasped for breath. I could barely focus on anything other than the loud sound of my pulse beating behind my ears.

Edward suddenly stiffened and he yanked back away from me. "Shit," he whispered, frantically looking around for his pajama pants.

"What?" I asked in concern.

He didn't need to answer because just then I heard Eli's voice coming from outside the bedroom.

"_Momma? Edward?_" he called through the door, sounding upset.

Edward threw his pants on and I had absolutely no time to put anything on before Eli opened the door. I quickly ran into the bathroom and shut the door just as Eli came into the bedroom.

"_Edward_?" Eli asked, sounding like he was crying. "_What were you and Momma doing_?"

I bit my now swollen lip and grabbed my robe off the hook and threw it over my body, tying it haphazardly and rushing back out to the bedroom. Edward looked over at me with wide eyes, his cheeks flushed. He ran his hand through his hair and looked back at Eli.

"Nothing, buddy," he answered shakily. He swallowed hard before continuing. "Why?"

"It sounded like you were fighting. Mommy, why were you fighting with Edward?" His lip trembled as he looked up at me.

I felt terrible. I could only imagine what we sounded like to a five-year-old. Add to that the fact that Edward and I _never_ fought, it was no wonder he was so upset.

I got down on my knees and sat back on my heels, pulling him to me. "We weren't fighting, I promise."

He put his head on my shoulder and nodded. I looked up at Edward and waited for the stream of questions that Eli normally would start asking, but he seemed to know not to say anything else.

"You okay?" I asked, running my hand over his head.

"Yeah," he said into my neck.

After a couple of minutes, I pulled him back and looked at his face.

"What are you doing up so early? You don't have to get up for school for another twenty minutes!"

"I'm hungry, " he said with his brows knit.

"Hmm. Well, Mom's got time to make you Mickey pancakes. Sound good?"

He beamed at me. "Yeah. With strawberries and whipped cream!"

I kissed his nose. "You got it. Go upstairs and get your clothes that we picked out last night on and I'll get started on them, okay?"

"Kay!"

He ran out of the bedroom happily and I stood up, intent on getting some yoga pants and a t-shirt out of the drawer, but as soon as I looked over at Edward's still frightened face, I burst out laughing.

He watched me in astonishment for a moment before joining in, coming over to me and hugging me against him as our entire bodies shook with laughter.

"Well, it was bound to happen sometime," I said once I calmed down.

He wiped the tears away from his eyes. "Yeah. We're just lucky that he didn't come in while we were in the middle of it."

I nodded. "From now on, that door locks before we do anything like that. Especially if you're going to fuck my brains out like you just did."

His eyebrows shot up and his loud laugh reverberated throughout the room. "I guess I did, didn't I?" I nodded. "You know, I have plans to get a couple more tattoos in the future. Feel free to lick the hell out of those as well."

"Oh, yeah?" I asked in surprise. "When?"

"After we get married," he answered simply.

"What are you planning on getting?"

He led me over to his night stand and pulled out a couple of neatly folded pieces of paper from the drawer. I opened one up and saw Eli's messy scrawl, complete with his backwards 'E'.

"I'm getting that one here," he said pointing to the inside of his wrist on the opposite arm where the inscription was.

I hurriedly opened the second piece of paper to find a phrase in Gaelic written on it.

_Mo ghrá síoraí_

"What's this one?" I asked, looking at him curiously.

"Muh grah SHEER-ee," he pronounced for me. "It means 'My love eternal'." He brought my hand and put it over his heart. "I'm getting it here along with our wedding date."

My heart pounded furiously in my chest, causing my stomach to flutter. I felt the tears sting my eyes as I was almost completely overcome with my love for the man standing in front of me. He wanted to put a permanent reminder of my son--of _our_ son--as well as our wedding date with the most beautiful words I'd ever heard spoken on his body.

"Wha-" My voice broke. "What if we get divorced?"

His lips quirked in amusement. "You think we're getting divorced?"

"No," I whispered shakily.

He cupped my face with his hands, his green eyes meeting mine--swirling with so much emotion--I had to blink back the tears that blurred my vision.

"Even if we did, you _are_ my love eternal, Bella. You turned my entire world upside down when I first met you at the lake. I fucking worshiped the ground you walked on and I didn't even know if you were single or not," he said with a laugh. "There will never be anyone else who could touch my heart the way you have, a ghrá."

"I want it on me," I breathed, unthinking.

He stepped back. "What?"

I held the paper up in my hands. "I want this. On me. Same as you."

His entire face lit up with his answering smile. "You want to get a tattoo?"

I shook my head. "Not just a tattoo, Edward. _This_ tattoo."

"Where?"

"Vertically. Going down my spine in between my shoulder blades." Someplace it could stay hidden if I needed it to.

He groaned softly as he pictured it in his head. "So fucking hot," he said lowly.

"You think?"

He nodded. "I won't be able to keep my hands off you, you know. Knowing you're marked with something that is only ours."

He reached out for me but I playfully slapped him back. "No way, baby. You'll just have to wait until later. I've got to get Eli's breakfast ready."

He pretended to pout so I stood on my toes and gave him a chaste kiss on the lips before quickly grabbing some clothes and throwing them on.

"I love you!" I called as I started out of the room.

"Love you," he grumbled.

I looked over my shoulder at his tone, but the expression in his eyes gave him away. He wasn't angry at all. He was ecstatic.


	28. Chapter 28

**Six hundred reviews! Fuck yeah! Thanks so much! SN has more reviews that DG now!**

**This chapter's kind of transitional...going from planning mode to leaving Eli in Forks. It was actually pretty freaking hard to write for some reason and took me all week long...grrr.**

**I wasn't going to put a lemon in...but Edward got horny. So, there's lemonade ahead ;)**

***~***

Chapter 28

**Edward**

I hated to leave Bella alone all day. She seemed much better this morning, but I couldn't help but wonder if she actually _wasn't_. With the wounds still fresh and raw from Eli's attempted kidnapping and the division of our little family on the horizon for an indefinite period of time, I worried that some small detail--one little reminder--would spark something inside her and send her in a tailspin.

So it came as no surprise to me when I found myself drifting off, lost in thought, in the middle of every surgery that day. I couldn't concentrate on anything other than Bella and Eli. I was fucking fortunate that I only had routine procedures on the board. Anything more complicated and I could have unconsciously ended my career.

I checked my phone so often, I almost expected to find it glued to my damn hand. I was waiting for a phone call or a text from Bella about her meeting with Alistair. I couldn't wait to find out what he thought of all her ideas and how he liked the menu. I myself thought everything was phenomenal. But I was extremely partial and knew there was no way I could give an unbiased judgment.

The few calls I did receive were from Aro and Charlie, wanting to discuss their plans to make Eli's move actually _work._ I called each one of them back on my lunch break, only to wish that I'd never picked up the fucking phone. Charlie was more than willing to keep Eli in Forks, but knew that all Jane had to do was call the airlines and tell some sob story to some unsuspecting person at the call center and get all the information on Eli's flight.

So it was up to me to come up with a solution. Another reason for my unfortunate distractions during surgery.

Thank Christ for the break I took at three that afternoon. I sat in the on-call room, trying to work out a plan that would keep Jane from ever finding out where Eli was when it hit me, like a proverbial fucking thunderbolt.

Tyler Crowley, my roommate at Annapolis--the Navy pilot. He worked for a charter jet company now. The type of company that was used to dealing with keeping the identities and destinations of their passengers secret. I thought about the money I had in savings and the cost of renting a fucking jet every single weekend to see Eli. While it would put a large dent in my finances, I would still have plenty of cash for the restaurant. As long as this lasted no longer than three months.

_Three months. Jesus fuck, it'd better not take three months._

When I left the hospital for the night, I had spoken to Aro, Charlie, and Tyler. Everything was in place. Tyler was more than willing to relocate to Port Angeles and be Eli's 'bodyguard and chauffer' until Jane was found. And as long as I paid for the airtime of the jet on the weekends, his boss had no problem keeping the jet on the west coast until further notice, opting to use it during the week for some of his west coast clients. Aro would be expediting copies of all the case details to Charlie and the rest of the Forks PD, since they would be working so close together once Eli landed in Washington. Once they had all the necessary paperwork filed and ready, Eli would be on his way to Forks. We just had to keep him safe until then. Then the plan was simple. Taunt Jane and get her into some sort of confrontation while the police looked on so that they could apprehend her and lock her in some institute somewhere so she couldn't come after us again.

"Bella?" I called excitedly as soon as I got home. "Baby? How did it go?"

"Edward!" she exclaimed. I could hear her footsteps getting closer to the kitchen. "Oh, my God!" she shouted as soon as she saw me, crossing the room and throwing herself at me.

I took a step back as I caught her and let her wrap her arms and legs around my body. She peppered kisses all over my face and I broke out into a wide smile before her lips occupied mine. Things must've gone extremely well.

"Well?" I asked when she finally released my lips.

"I'm so sorry I didn't call you. I wanted to tell you in person." She took a calming breath. "He wants to do it! He loved it all! Everything! We're going to try to open by next spring!" she squealed.

My heart swelled with pride and I brought my lips back to hers, kissing her soundly before finally releasing her when we were both breathless.

"That's fucking great, Bella!" I shouted in excitement. "So, what's next?"

"He's having his realtor look around town for a few potential spaces. He wants us all to go look at what he finds and then we'll start drawing up the paperwork for everything once we settle on something. And I need to come up with a name."

"You don't have a name?" She'd thought up everything else, I figured she'd have a name as well.

"No. That's where you come in." I stared at her blankly. "I want something Gaelic. But not too hard to pronounce."

I laughed. "Good luck with that."

"Edward!" She wiggled out of my grasp. "Help me!"

"I'll help you. But Irish Gaelic is not something people are very familiar with. I'm afraid people are going to look at the sign and go, 'What the fuck does that say?'."

She looked down at her feet. "I guess you're right."

"Did you have a specific word in mind?" I asked, pulling her chin up so that I could see her eyes.

"Come Together. Or something like that."

I thought about it. "KOH-wer. It means partnership or cooperation. But it doesn't sound like it's spelled."

"How's it spelled?" she asked curiously.

"C-O-M-H-A-R."

"Oh." She pursed her lips. "Well, what do you suggest?"

"Why not look up a Gaelic name? Or name it after one of the many castles or dances in Ireland," I suggested.

"Dance?"

"Sorry. That's what Mamó always called the stone circles in Ireland. Pagan dances, folklore, and all that," I said, a little embarrassed. "Stonehenge is the most famous."

"Ooh. I like that." Her eyes twinkled with excitement. "Know of any off the top of your head?"

"Um, there was one in Cork county she loved. She called it Druid's Altar. I think it's called Drombeg. It means 'small ridge'. Not a very good name for a restaurant. There's also a lot dolmens. There's one near Ardara that's incredible. And there's another near Ballina, if I remember correctly. It's been years since I was there."

"Ballina," she sighed. "That's it!" She stood on her toes and gave me a quick kiss. "Thank you."

"Anytime," I said with a wink.

We had a name for our restaurant. _Our restaurant_. The thrill rushed through my veins as I thought of the word again.

_Ballina._

The doorbell rang out through the house, causing Bella's head to spin around and look in its direction.

"Who's here?" she asked in surprise.

"Tyler Crowley." I grinned at her. "My roommate from Annapolis."

"What?!" She stuttered. "Why?"

"You'll see," I said with a mysterious grin.

I put my hand on the small of her back and led her to the door, where Eli was standing, looking as if he was going to die from not being able to answer the door.

"Hey, buddy. How was school?" I asked nonchalantly, knowing it would drive him crazy.

"Fine. Edward! Answer the door!" he yelled impatiently.

I laughed. "Okay." I opened the door and saw Tyler standing there with a huge smile on his face. "Hey, man! What's up?!"

He took a step towards me and gave me a strong hug. "Nothing. You look good, Cullen!"

"So do you!" I stepped aside to let him in. "Tyler, this is my fiancée, Bella," I said with a bright smile.

"Nice to meet you," she said pleasantly.

"And this is Eli. The cargo."

He grinned. "Hey there, Eli. You and I are going to be spending a lot of time together."

Eli's brow furrowed. "We are?"

"Yep." He stood up. "So, where's the dad and your brother-in-law?"

"On their way." I watched Jacob's truck pull in the driveway. "There's Jacob now."

"What do you have up your sleeve, Edward Cullen?" Bella asked me.

"Did I ever happen to mention what Tyler does for a living?" I asked, enjoying the look on her face.

"No," she said slowly.

"Tyler's a pilot."

I let thought seep into her consciousness and watched it roll around in her brain as she tried to figure out why he was here.

Her face lit up and she grinned at me. "Is he going to..."

"Yeah."

We still hadn't told Eli what was going on, which was why I'd called Jacob and Jasper to come over. I wanted to make sure he was going to be okay with this and know that even though he would be gone, this was still his home. That he belonged in Chicago with his mother, father, and me.

We all piled in the living room and talked, restlessly waiting for Jasper to get here. When he finally did, we got down to business, so to speak.

Jasper talked to Eli about his encounter with Jane, trying to get a feel of how he was coping with everything before letting us continue with the plan. After thirty minutes of questioning, Jasper pulled us into the other room and informed us that Eli was perfect. That he was handling it just as expected, but with more resiliency than he could have ever thought possible.

"You're doing an incredible job with him," he complimented.

I took pleasure in his compliment, given the fact that I'd only been at this whole parenting thing for only three months now. I was extremely glad to know that regardless of our faults or overly dramatic lives, that in the midst of all this chaos and bullshit, we were doing something right.

_Thank fucking God._

We went back out and explained to Eli what was going on, as well as you can to a five-year-old. I told him about Jane being the one who tried to take him and had Bella's townhouse destroyed. That she was my ex-girlfriend and that she was very sick and because of that, until she was found and we could get her into the hospital to get help, it wasn't safe here with us. Then we told him the hardest part. That he would have to live with Charlie for a while.

He took it better than I could have ever imagined. After a few tears, we knew he understood. We told him it wasn't a permanent separation and that we would see him every Saturday and Sunday. We promised he would have so much fun with Grandpa Charlie and Papaw--that they had plans to take him fishing and ice skating, to movies, and that he'd get to see some of his old friends from pre-school. Jacob even cracked a joke about him never wanting to come back home, which made Eli giggle.

We finally finished talking to him and I showed everyone out the door while Bella put Eli to bed. I went into to brush my teeth, but stopped as soon as I got to the sink. I put my elbows on the counter and buried my face in my arms as I thought about what was to come. Was this really, actually going to work? Would we be able to get Jane out in the open so that this could all be over?

I stood up and brushed my teeth, trying to brush the bitter taste that Eli's trip to Forks left in my mouth only to find that no amount of brushing was going to work. Resigned, I went to bed and waited for Bella.

Bella came downstairs and gave me a sad smile on her way to the bathroom. I heard the water run and then heard a crashing sound followed by Bella's sharp intake of air.

I bolted out of the bed and ran to the bathroom to see Bella holding her bleeding hand over the sink with her eyes closed, taking quick, ragged breaths in through her mouth.

"Let me see," I murmured, taking her hand and gently wiping the superficial cut on the side of her thumb. I vaguely noticed there were pieces of ceramic all over the counter. I saw the light sheen of sweat form over her skin. "You're not going to pass out on me, are you?"

"Uh-uh." She squeezed her eyes tighter. "I dropped the tumbler," she cried.

I got out the antibiotic ointment and a couple of butterfly closures out of the drawer. "Shit happens," I said with a grin.

For some reason, this seemed to make her cry even harder. I quickly bandaged the cut and pulled her in my arms.

"What's the matter, a ghrá?"

"I'm going to miss him so much," she sobbed.

"Me too, baby." My chest felt hollow with the admission. "But we'll get through this. I promise. We're going to do everything we can to get Jane to come to us and then it will all be over."

She nodded and pulled back, wiping her eyes and giving me a watery smile. "I guess we should clean this up before I try to cut another one of my appendages off, huh?"

I grinned crookedly. "That might be a good idea. I especially need my appendages. It's how we pay for this house."

******************************

**Bella**

"No, no, no! I don't want any of this, Alice! It's not me!" I threw up my hands in exasperation and pushed away from the table.

Alice had brought over countless books and bridal magazines to go over with me so that we could start planning the wedding. The problem was, I couldn't care less.

Edward's entire family had come over tonight to spend one last evening with Eli before he left. He was leaving tomorrow. Everything had been finalized and I would see my baby off to Forks for who-knows-how-long. And I was irrationally taking everything out on Alice.

I went into the kitchen and poured myself a glass of water. Rosalie followed and leaned up against the counter with her arms folded over her chest.

"Now you see why I needed you to be one of my bridesmaids. It gets even worse when she's _actually_ planning the wedding. Not just doing this to distract you," Rosalie smirked.

"Distract me? This isn't for real?" I asked in disbelief.

"Nope. Not even close." She glanced back towards the deck. "You know, I _want_ a big, fabulous wedding. And she still drives me nuts!"

"Great," I said sarcastically, imagining my life with Alice coming at me with flowers, cake samples, color schemes, and whatever else she wanted to discuss until the day Edward and I got married.

"You'll be fine. Just keep putting your foot down. She'll stop eventually."

Alice came in the house and looked between us sadly before starting to go back outside. I instantly felt like such a bitch.

"Alice, wait!" I called after her. "I'm sorry. I'm just having a really hard time tonight and I don't think I can handle flipping through bridal magazines anymore. Can we maybe do it another night?" I asked, biting my lip.

Her face lit up. "Really?" I nodded. "Oh, my God, Bella! Just call me whenever you're ready!" she squealed, rushing over to hug me.

I hugged her back and winked at Rosalie. "You got it." I pulled back and knit my brows. "Have either of you seen Edward?" They both shook their heads.

I went around the house looking for him and found him holed up in the bonus room, playing one of his guitars.

"Hey," I said, hesitantly. "What are you doing up here?"

He shrugged but never looked up. "Just...thinking. Writing."

"Writing?"

He stopped toying with the guitar and gave me a smile that came nowhere near his eyes. "Want to hear it?"

"Yeah!" I said eagerly, earning a chuckle from him.

He patted the spot on the couch next to him and I immediately went and sat down, anxious to hear what he'd written. I knew he occasionally composed music but I'd never gotten the chance to hear any of it.

"I heard this in my head tonight and some sort of compulsion made me disregard everyone downstairs and come up here to play it." He took a deep breath. "It's sad. Really fucking sad."

I nodded and waited for him to begin. After he retuned the guitar, he finally started to play. The first note hit me like a tidal wave, washing me in complete and utter despair. I choked back a sob as the song grew even more melancholy, slowly weaving an intricate pattern of beautiful notes and chords that expressed just how hard this was on him. When the song finally came to an end, I swiped away the one rogue tear that fell down my cheek.

"That was beautiful. And really fucking sad," I told him honestly with a small laugh.

"I'm so fucking scared, Bella. What if this doesn't work? What if she finds him? We'll be so far away, there won't be anything we can do about it. All I want is to keep the two of you safe, and I don't fucking know how without keeping us all locked up!" He pinched the bridge of his nose between his fingers.

"I _know_ we're safe when we're with you." How I was comforting him now was beyond me, but I knew tomorrow he would be there for me. "And I know your first instinct is to hold us hostage until she's found and I thank you for not even trying to do that, because we can't stop living our lives because of her. I've said this to you before--I refuse to live in fear because of her. This will work. I can feel it in my bones, Edward. We just have to get through it."

He put the guitar next to his feet and shifted on the couch so that he was facing me. "You really think this is going to work?"

I nodded. "I really do, baby."

He stood up, pulling me with him and placed a quick kiss on my forehead. "All right. I'm done wallowing now." He winked. "Let's go back downstairs and plan the wedding!" He exclaimed with mock enthusiasm.

I giggled. "You're off the hook. I told Alice I couldn't take any more and that we'd start planning it some other day."

"Lucky me," he said, grinning.

"I'll say."

We started back downstairs. "You know, we don't have to have any kind of wedding at all. We can just go and do it one day if you want."

I looked at him incredulously. "In what universe would your sister and mother _ever_ allow that to happen?"

He chuckled. "They'd get over it."

"Maybe," I said, unconvinced.

The rest of the night was uneventful. All of Edward's family spent time playing with Eli--trying to get in all the time they could with him before tomorrow, unsure of when they would get to see him next. Esme seemed to take it the hardest. There were plenty of times Edward and I caught her almost in tears because of something funny or sweet Eli had said to her.

When everyone was ready to leave, I hugged Esme comfortingly. If I could get through this, so could she.

"I'm really going to miss him," she said with a sniffle.

"So am I, Mom." Edward pulled her against him and kissed her hair. "If it gets too bad you can come with us one weekend."

"Really?" she asked hopefully.

"Of course, Mom," he said with a roll of his eyes. "Now get the hell out of my house," he teased. "I'd like to spend the rest of the evening with my fiancée and our son alone."

Esme started to walk out the door but abruptly stopped, spinning around to face us. "You know, anytime you two would like to have another little one running around here, I'm more than ready. You guys are my best bet. I'm sure Alice and Emmett will make me wait until I'm in a nursing home."

Edward laughed while I just stood there dumbly. "We'll get working on that right after we get married. Just for you."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Don't tease me."

"I'm not!" he said indignantly.

She looked between the two of us, seeing my shocked expression and stifled a laugh. "I'll talk to you later. Call me when you get back. Love you guys!" she called as she walked away.

Edward shut the door behind her and turned to me. "What?" he asked, finally registering my shock.

"You'd get to working on it _right away_?" I asked in astonishment.

"Oh, it's not like it's a big secret or anything. You've known since the day I proposed that I want kids with you. Hell, before then even."

"But..I just...you..." I stuttered.

His eyes flashed with amusement. "What? You change your mind or something?"

"No!"

He smiled crookedly. "Then what's the problem?"

I laughed at myself. "Nothing. I'm just surprised you've given this so much thought, is all."

His brows knit. "Do you not want kids right away? Do you want to wait a while?"

I shook my head and smiled at him fondly. "No. I don't want to wait."

"Thank Christ. I'd do it, but it would fucking suck. I'm ready now, but I know that you want to do it right. Plus there's the small issue of Jane running around." His expression clouded over but he quickly recovered, holding his hand out to me. "Now, let's go kick Eli's ass in Rockband."

******************************

Marcus came to pick us up the next morning, which would be our ritual every weekend until this was over. Aro and Edward both agreed there was no guarantee Jane wouldn't follow us to the airport and vandalize one of our cars out of frustration while we were gone.

We sat in silence, with Eli resting his head against Edward's chest while holding my hand. We swung by Jacob's apartment and picked him up on our way. He sat in the front seat and looked back at us, frowning. I wasn't sure if it was because Eli was propped up against Edward, or if it was due to the fact that by this time tomorrow, the three of us would be on a plane heading back to Chicago--without Eli. I kept quiet. The reason wasn't important right now.

"Are you excited to see Papaw and Grandpa Charlie?" Jacob asked Eli with forced enthusiasm.

"Yeah. Think we can go fishing tomorrow?" he asked hopefully.

"You'll just have to ask, buddy. I'm sure Grandpa Charlie would love to take you after we leave."

Eli's face fell slightly. "You and Edward can't come, too?"

Jacob and Edward exchanged a quick look. "No, not this weekend, little man. But we'll go somewhere next weekend where we can go fishing the whole time if you want," Edward said, smiling down at him.

"Really? Where?" Eli asked with excitement.

"How about we go to Yosemite if it's not too cold?" Jacob offered.

"Camping?!" Eli squealed, beaming.

"Yeah. Camping. Sound good to you, Mom?" Jacob asked me.

Anything to keep that smile on his face.

"Sounds great," I replied genuinely.

We met up with Aro and Emmett at Midway airport, opting to go for the smaller airport for security reasons. Suddenly, everything seemed to pass me by in a blur and the next thing I knew, we were in the air on the way to Port Angeles. I could only vaguely remember telling Emmett that we'd call him as soon as we got home.

The flight was long and tedious. I sat with Eli, Edward, and Jacob, playing cards and trying to keep my face bright but I felt like I was dying inside. With each mile--each second--the ragged wound in my chest seemed to gape wider. Logically, I knew I was being absurd. It wasn't like I was shipping him off somewhere, never to see him again. I'd only be away from him for five days before seeing him again. But that didn't seem to matter to my aching heart.

We finally landed in Port Angeles to find Charlie with an army of officers waiting for us at the gate. I said nothing but cocked my eyebrow at his overzealousness. At least I knew Eli would be protected here.

Edward was amazing during the drive to Forks. He seemed to know that I needed comforting without any words. He silently ran his hands through my hair and occasionally placed kisses on my forehead, never losing contact with my skin the entire time. I'd never been more thankful to have him in my life.

We finally got to Charlie's and I immediately went to the kitchen to make spaghetti while Charlie, Edward, and Jacob got my old bedroom set up for Eli.

"You didn't have to do that, Bells. I could have ordered pizza." I looked over to see Charlie watching me carefully.

I shrugged and stirred the sauce. "I wanted to. I wanted to make sure he got one last good dinner in him before you two glutton yourselves with cheeseburgers from the diner," I joked, even though I was miserable. "Besides, it's his favorite."

"Bella..." Charlie trailed off awkwardly. "It'll be over before you know it."

"That's what everyone keeps saying," I muttered.

"I know I wasn't always there for you," I stood there, stunned at the direction the conversation had taken, "but I know how you feel. When you left for Udub and then Chicago-" He stopped himself. "Well, I know what it's like for your child to be so far away from you. That's all."

"Dad?" I whimpered. "How did you get through it at first? Until you adjusted?"

"I kept busy."

"Momma!" Eli came crashing through the kitchen in excitement. "Grandpa Charlie said he'd take me fishing tomorrow afternoon!"

"He did?" I beamed at him. "That's great!"

Eli looked over at the stove. "Spsgetti!" he squealed, his whole face lighting up with his smile. "Yay!"

I laughed. "And now you know why I made it. Just so I could see that smile one last time before we left for the week."

My mood grew perceptibly better as the night wore on. My chest still felt raw from the invisible gaping wound I seemed to have acquired on the trip to Port Angeles, but I saw how happy Eli was here, and felt a small piece of my heart sew itself back in place.

Charlie took Jacob to La Push after we got Eli to bed while Edward and I got ready for bed, taking turns in the one bathroom that was in the house. I made sure the couch was made up for Charlie, since he'd been so gracious as to let Edward and I sleep in his room, before going back upstairs.

Edward stood in the middle of the room, watching me closely as I changed into my pajamas. When I finally looked up, I noticed his eyes were smoldering, causing my breath to hitch and my pulse to speed.

"What?" My voice broke.

"You look fucking hot," he said, looking my t-shirt and pajama shorts over.

"Whatever," I scoffed, trying to keep my face from flaming up any more.

"I'm serious." He eyed me predatorily and came over towards me. "Seeing you in a Forks High School t-shirt, standing in your father's room feels so...forbidden. It's such a fucking turn on." He grabbed my ass and squeezed, pulling me into his hardness.

I yelped in surprise. "Edward! Not in Charlie's bed!"

He eyed the bed disdainfully. "No," he admitted. "Ever been fucked on a dresser before?" I barely heard the small squeak escape my throat. "I take that as a no," he said devilishly.

He ripped my shirt off my body and pushed my shorts down my legs before he lifted me up, putting me on the dresser and running his hands over my thighs. He quickly took off his own shirt and gave me a slow smile. I felt his fingers stroke me lightly and I moaned, letting my head fall back against the wall. I knew we needed to stop, but all coherent thought had practically gone out the window as soon as he laid his hands on me.

His thumb circled my clit as he plunged his fingers inside me, causing me to gasp. He pumped them in and out of me swiftly as he sucked on my breasts, flicking my nipples with his tongue--getting me just on the brink before stopping.

"Edward," I groaned.

"I want to make you come with my dick," he whispered thickly, taking my mouth in his and pushing his pants down to his ankles.

He thrust into me roughly, making the dresser hit the wall with a resounding thud. He pulled almost all the way out and repeated the action, slamming into me with more force and scooting me back towards the wall so that my back was pressed against it.

"Edward, we're too loud," I gasped. "What if Charlie comes home?"

"So fucking what?" he growled, continuously pounding into me.

"Edward," I moaned. The sounds of the dresser repeatedly hitting the wall was almost more than I could take. I was so close.

He thrust into me harder, shifting his body and making my entire body tighten up around him, pulling him further into me.

"Come for me, baby," he rasped against my mouth.

He smothered my cry with his mouth as I came hard, feeling the waves of pleasure rush through my body. He let out a low moan and drove into me erratically, shuddering with the force of his orgasm. It was rough, quick, and completely amazing.

I sat there for a minute, catching my breath, while Edward rested his head on my shoulder.

I kissed his temple and shifted underneath him, smirking. "Feel better?"

I felt his body shake with his silent laughter. "Much. Thanks. I think I can sleep now."

"Good. Now get off. My ass hurts," I giggled.

We quickly got cleaned up and put our pajamas back on before we crawled in the bed. As soon as Edward shut off the light, I heard the front door open, announcing Charlie's arrival. I couldn't help but laugh into Edward's chest at how close we were to getting caught.

I managed to get a little sleep but mostly, I tossed and turned, dreading what was to come. Even though Edward had slept soundly, he seemed to be just as depressed the next morning as I was.

We wordlessly packed our stuff and waited for Jacob and the officer that would be driving us back to Port Angeles. At eight, Eli came bounding down the stairs with his fishing pole, ready for the afternoon's activities and completely unaware how utterly heartbroken his parents were.

_Good._

He had enough going on, he didn't need to know how sad we were to leave him behind.

Jacob finally got the house and Edward and I let him tell Eli a private goodbye before saying our own. I watched Edward bend down and kiss Eli's cheek, telling him how much he would miss him and loved him, and had to bite down on my trembling lip to keep from crying.

"Bye, Momma. I'll see you when we go camping next weekend!" he said excitedly.

"Yes, you will." I plastered the smile on my face. "Be good for Grandpa Charlie and Papaw and have a good week at school. I want to hear all about it next weekend, yeah?"

"Okay!"

I gave him a hug and kissed him on the lips, something I rarely did since he always acted disgusted afterwards. "I love you, baby. I'll miss you."

"I love you, Momma."

I managed to make it all the way to Chicago before I finally cracked. One step into his room and I collapsed into a heap on the floor and burst into tears.

I don't know how long I sat there, crying softly and hugging his pillow to my chest, but eventually Edward carried me downstairs and took me to bed, cooing comforting words the entire way. He gave me a sleeping pill, telling me how much better I would feel if I slept, and I reluctantly swallowed it.

He locked up the house and turned the lights off before coming back to bed.

"Hey, you. Feel any better?" he asked, curling up behind me.

"Yeah. Thanks." I yawned with the effects of the pill.

"Charlie just called. He said Eli had a great time today and caught two small trout."

I felt the smile pull at my lips. "That's nice," I slurred.

He chuckled and kissed my hair. "Go to sleep, baby. I love you," he murmured in my ear.

"I love you."


	29. Chapter 29

**This story is seriously kicking my ass. We've got the flu running around our house and I'm sure it's just my perfectionism but this chapter just feels like it's lacking something...I dunno, most likely it's the angst that killing me--I can only handle so much. **

**I don't have much left before things come to a head with Jane and I'm throwing everything I can into making sure the story's researched properly, because the last thing I want to do is put something out there that's incorrect. I've gotten a lot of questions about whether or not I'm going to write any from Jane's POV and the answer as of right now is no. I would love to, but I honestly don't know if I can do her POV justice. I'll work on it, but if I'm not satisfied with it, it won't be part of the story. I might include it as an outtake though.**

**Two definitions you need to know:**

**Post-schizophrenic depression**: A depressive episode arising in the aftermath of a schizophrenic illness where some low-level schizophrenic symptoms may still be present  
**Residual type**: Where positive symptoms are present at a low intensity only

**I've also been asked how the hell Annapolis could let Jane in...my answer is this: Residual type schizophrenia (above). It is _extremely_hard to diagnose unless definitive positive symptoms are being displayed and is very often confused with bipolar disorder and OCD. Also, Edward mentions in previous chapters that she seemed perfectly fine and was extremely smart. Smart enough to know how to manipulate the psychiatric exam and get away from her life.**

**Positive symptoms of paranoid schizophrenia are: **Auditory hallucinations, Delusions, Anxiety, Anger, Aloofness Violence, Verbal confrontations, Patronizing manner, Suicidal thoughts and behavior

**Wiki it if you're interested. They have an awesome summary/definition. Also, A Beautiful Mind is based on John Nash, a mathematician who suffered from paranoid schizophrenia.**

**OK...long ass A/N over.**

**Lemon ahead and thanks for the reviews!**

***~***

Chapter 29

**Edward**

"Fuck," I grunted, hitting the punching bag with as much force as possible.

Three weeks. It had been three fucking weeks since we'd shipped Eli off to Forks and there was absolutely no sign of Jane.

We'd done everything. Gone out to a few bars, out to dinner, walked alone in Grant Park, visited The Bean, gone to a fucking Bears game. We'd even gone back to the aquarium. I made sure I was all over Bella each and every time, flaunting our relationship. And still--nothing.

Jane's psychiatrist thought that Jane was in a post-schizophrenic depression, possibly reverting back to drug use. Which was something that kept Aro scouring the streets and checking the morgue for her daily. Unfortunately, there was no specific time frame that we could go by. Every individual afflicted with schizophrenia reacted differently to its symptoms.

"AHHHH," I screamed in frustration, pummeling the punching bag over and over again.

I felt a firm grip on my shoulder and wildly spun around, on the offense. I stopped suddenly as Emmett's cobalt blue eyes stared back at me.

I shrugged away from him and turned back to the punching bag. "Get the fuck off."

"You need to calm down, Cullen." I wiped the sweat that was dripping down to my eyes and ignored him, ready to start the beating again. "Look at your hands, dude."

I looked down and groaned. I'd forgotten to put tape on and they were completely bloodied and scraped up all along my knuckles.

"Shit!" I gave the bag on last hit.

"They'll find her," he said calmly.

"WHEN?" I roared. "When are they going to find her? Next fucking year?!"

"Edward." He looked at me evenly, unmoving.

I brought my hands to my face and wiped all the traces of sweat off. "God, Em. I miss him. I get to see him every fucking weekend but it's not the same. I miss the giggle that floats through my living room when something's funny on TV, I miss his random trivia when he's learned something new at school, I miss the way he crawls in the bed with Bella and me on Saturdays to watch cartoons, I miss..." I choked back a sob and stopped talking.

"I know," he said quietly, laying his hand on my back and pulling me against him. "I miss him, too. I know it's not the same, but you need to realize you're not the only one. This effects everyone."

I nodded and pulled away from him. "I need to take a shower and get home. Bella will be there soon."

"How's she handling this?" he asked as we walked to the locker room.

I thought about the first week without Eli at home. We both walked around in a daze just trying to get through the day so that we would be one day closer to seeing Eli again. The dynamic of our relationship hadn't changed; we were still us. But one mention of Eli, and the spark--the life--from Bella's eyes instantly disappeared, leaving her empty; blank. It was something I recognized immediately since I could feel myself doing the same thing.

"Like me. Most days we're fine. The first week was the hardest. Only occasionally does one of us," I stopped, thinking of how to describe it, "go a little crazy."

"You went more than a little crazy, Cullen. You went fucking postal on that innocent little bag hanging from the ceiling."

I chuckled. "I guess so."

"You need a trip to Vegas," he said with a grin.

I gave him an odd look. "What the hell does Vegas have to do with any of this shit?"

"You need a weekend to let loose and party," he said excitedly.

"This has nothing to do with you going out of town and partying with me, does it?" I asked skeptically.

"No." I just stared at him. "Okay, yeah. Maybe. Let's go next weekend!"

"What the hell is Eli going to do while we're there?"

He rolled his eyes. "You can't tell me Vegas doesn't have shit for the kids that live there, can you?"

I sighed. "I'm sure they do. Fine, plan it. See if Alice and Jazz want to go. I'll talk to Bella about it."

"Sweet!" He took off towards the weight machines. "I'll call you and let you know when I've got it all figured out!"

I shook my head and went into the locker room to take a quick shower. After I finished, I drove home quickly, wanting to get home to Bella as soon as possible, but found myself thinking about Eli the entire way.

Eli was happy, for the most part. Charlie never once mentioned anything other than how naturally buoyant he was. Occasionally, he'd mention something about wishing it was Friday so he could see Bella or talk about pizza and video games with me, but he never gave us any reason to worry. He loved being with his old friends and Charlie and Billy kept him busy during the week to keep his mind occupied and his heart from missing Chicago.

We'd gone camping in Yosemite the first weekend, making good on our promise to take Eli fishing the entire time. Bella never said a word, but I could tell she was bored out of her mind the entire trip.

So, the next weekend we took Eli to San Diego and took him to the San Diego Zoo and Sea World. To say he was pissed when we had to leave before getting a chance to go to the beach and Legoland would be a vast understatement. He threw a tantrum on the way to the airport, where Tyler was waiting with the plane.

Needless to say, we spent last weekend in San Diego again, spending the day at the beach in wetsuits boogie boarding on Saturday and then got a late start back to Chicago on Sunday after spending an entire fucking day at Legoland.

If I never saw another sculpture made of Legos again, it would be too soon.

This weekend we were going to be the closest to Forks that we'd ever get--Seattle--since it was Halloween. Bella and Jacob had plans to take Eli trick-or-treating Saturday and knew of plenty of things for us to do from the time they lived there.

I got back to the house and walked into the kitchen, stopping in my tracks. There was only one upside to Eli being in Forks. And I was currently staring at it.

"Jesus H. Fuck!" I yelled, grinning widely. "Can you read my fucking mind, baby?"

Bella was cooking dinner in nothing but an red apron and high heels. She had her back turned to me and I could see the delicious curve of her ass as she chopped an onion, making my dick instantly harden. She looked over her shoulder and gave me a wide, innocent look.

"What do you mean?" She batted her eyelashes at me, making my dick twitch against my jeans.

"I mean the morning after I spent the night with you the first time, I could think of nothing better than to watch you cook in nothing but an apron before I bent you over the table and fucked the hell out of you."

She slowly walked over towards me, passing me by with a smirk and went towards the table. She bent over it, resting her elbows on the table and spreading her legs apart, and looked over at me. I saw the swell of her breast peeking out of the side of her apron and felt the saliva pool in my mouth.

"Like this?"

_Holy mother of God, I've died and gone straight to fucking heaven. Or maybe hell. _

I moaned. "Exactly like that."

I walked over and ran my hand over her ass, trailing my fingers lightly across the back of her thigh as I made my way in between her legs, stroking her gently. She moaned softly before quickly turning around to face me.

"Not so fast," she said playfully. "There's something I wanted to do first."

"And what's that?" I asked, my voice gritty.

She said nothing as she pushed down my jeans and boxers so that they were gathered down at my ankles. My dick bounced lightly once it was free, just begging for attention. She got down on her knees and looked up at me, cocking her brow and taking me in her hand. I watched her lick the bottom of my shaft, groaning as she swirled her tongue over the tip. She wrapped her lips around me and slowly moved down my dick, putting me in her hot little mouth.

"Christ," I whispered thickly. "Just like that."

I watched her head bob, feeling my muscles tense up as she went further and further down my shaft with her mouth. I hit the back of her throat and heart myself emit a low moan as she sucked down hard, grazing her teeth across the bottom of my shaft and pumping the part of me that didn't fit in her mouth with her hand.

I could feel myself getting closer and quickly pulled out of her mouth, grabbing her and spinning her around and bending her over the table. I didn't want to come in her mouth, I wanted to come inside her.

I kicked her legs further apart gently as I ripped off my shirt and then thrust inside her, feeling how wet she had gotten by trying to please me.

"God, Bella," I groaned. "You feel so fucking good."

"Edward," she moaned, bending her body forward even further and making me go deeper.

I snaked my hand inside the apron and palmed her breast, flicking her nipple and tugging on it slightly, listening to her moans get louder as I gently twisted it in my fingers.

Between the scene playing out before me and the fact that I was already close when I entered her, I knew I wasn't going to last much fucking longer. I pulled my hand away from her breast and snuck it up the apron, rubbing her clit softly and pinching it.

She pushed back into me and I took my other hand and grabbed her shoulder so that I could get more leverage as I drove into her harder and faster. I was breathing heavily and grunting as I felt the blood rush in my veins, sending that aching fire racing through my dick as I came. I concentrated on continuing my thrusts as she tightened around me.

With one quick pull on her clit, she came violently, shuddering and spasming around me as I slowed down. I wrapped my arm around her waist and held her up, feeling completely satisfied with myself that I'd managed to make her knees go weak.

"What the fuck was that about?" I asked, still struggling to catch my breath. I placed a chaste kiss on her neck and watched the smile spread across her face.

She shrugged. "Just felt like it. Thought it might be something you 'd like since you're such a horny shit."

I laughed. "You know me well, baby." I kissed her cheek and got off her. "So, what's for dinner?"

She straightened up and took a couple of wobbly steps, raising her eyebrows at me. "Well, I _was_ making the sides to go with the pork roast in the oven, but I can hardly walk now, thanks."

I chuckled. "You attacked me first," I reminded her. "Let me get washed up and I'll help you."

She looked at me in astonishment. "You want to help?"

"Yeah. You can teach me how to cook. It's about time I learned."

She smiled excitedly at me. "Okay."

"Get dressed though. Please. I won't be able to stop myself from fucking you again if you don't," I warned her.

We got started on the asparagus first. I watched intently as Bella showed me how to snap them, letting them bend on their own in between my fingers to ensure that we got the freshest part. I helped her chop the onions and mince garlic while she worked on making a risotto.

My phone buzzed in my pocket and I pulled it out, rolling my eyes as I saw 'Mansauce' pop up on the screen. He'd changed his name on my phone the other day as a joke, one that I thought was incredibly stupid. I'd just been too busy to change it back.

"What's up, Em?" I asked, holding the phone in between my shoulder and ear.

"Mom and Dad want to go."

I laughed. "Why?"

"Beats me. Mom wants to see Eli," he stoically. "I said it was fine. I figured if it wasn't, I'd let you be the one who could tell her. I'm sure as shit not going to do it."

"No, it's fine. But I still have to say something to Bella." She looked over at me, knitting her brows.

"You've been home for two hours, dude! What the hell?" His loud voice boomed in my ear.

"We've been otherwise occupied," I said cryptically.

Bella threw the asparagus in the pan, causing the loud sizzle to filter through the phone. "You're fucking cooking and you couldn't say anything to her?!" he yelled incredulously.

"Je la baisais sur la table, le trou du cul," I hissed, trying to be discreet so that Bella didn't get embarrassed.

"Oh, for fuck's sake!" he yelled. "You know my French sucks!"

"Not my fault you didn't pay attention when Esme made us learn!" I yelled back, grinning.

I listened to him think about it out loud, abruptly cutting himself off and laughing. "Nice! Call me later."

He hung up without another word so I turned back to Bella and watched her stir the risotto.

"Apparently the whole family would like to go with us next weekend. They're planning a trip to Vegas," I said with a smirk.

"Vegas?" she asked in confusion.

"Yeah. My idiot brother thinks we need a weekend of drunken debauchery to alleviate our stress about the whole Jane situation."

She bit down on her lip. "I've never been to Vegas."

"I know."

"Might be kind of nice," she said, smiling widely.

"So, it's fine?" She nodded. "Good. I'll call Emmett back later and let him know."

The alarm was tripped, suddenly sending the loud noise screeching through the house as the lights flashed in the front yard. Bella and I both jumped, startled, before I rushed to the front door and flung it open, only to see Jane fading away in the black distance.

"Don't fucking move!" I yelled at Bella, running to the bedroom to get the gun out of the nightstand drawer. "Lock the door until someone shows up!"

I ran back outside and sprinted in the direction she ran off to, making sure the safety was off on the gun in case I needed to use it. I searched for her for over an hour, combing my neighbors' backyards and checking any and every outdoor structure to see if any of them was locked, unable to find any trace of Jane.

"Fuck!" I yelled angrily. I must've gone the opposite way she did and lost her.

I ran back to the house to see that Aro's car as well as two other cruisers were parked in the street outside my house.

I went inside and looked around, searching for the idiot who was supposed to be watching outside. I finally spotted him, standing in the corner of the living room, looking around the room in horror.

I felt the rage flow uninhibitedly through my veins as I stormed over to him. He was supposed to be protecting the house that Bella and I shared--protecting my girl. If Jane had shown up three hours before, Bella would have been alone when this happened.

"What the fuck were you doing?" I screamed, rearing my fist back and slamming it into his face. "You were supposed to be watching the house!"

I could feel that I'd broken open one of the cuts from my earlier attack on the punching bag, but didn't care.

I pulled my arm back, intent on hitting him again, but instead felt myself being lifted away and restrained by the other cops there. I fought against them fruitlessly, knowing that there was no way I could out maneuver three well trained police officers.

"GET OFF ME!" I roared. "Get the fuck off! I'm not going to do it again!" They didn't budge.

Finally, I quit fighting against their hold when I ran out of breath. They let go of me and I rushed into the kitchen to find Bella.

"What the hell was going on in there?" she yelled at me as the tears streamed down her face.

"I lost my temper," I said calmly, even though I was still enraged. "I'm fine now." Aro lifted one of his brows, obviously knowing I was still nowhere near fine. "You'd better get another fucking cop over here to watch my house. One that won't be so easily distracted," I spat.

He nodded. "Mattingly's a rookie. He won't be back. And I'll make sure that from now on someone with experience is outside to guard the house since Jane seems to be getting desperate."

"She tried to break in, Edward." Bella took a shuddering breath. "We're not safe here anymore."

"Yes we are," I said sternly. "That alarm scared the piss out of her. She took off running and never managed to get through the deadbolt, much less even harm it." I took her face in my hands and kissed her fiercely. "We're fine, a ghrá."

She pulled back and looked at Aro. "How do I know Eli's safe? She...he..." She broke down into tears. "How do you know she hasn't found out where he is yet?"

Arogave her a comforting smile. "Bella, think about it. There's a gag order on that plane's flight plans for the next six months, keeping all information from being released to the public. The only way she could know about it is if she worked at the FAA, which she doesn't. And she can't even think about trying to find some way in, because they've been specifically told to look for her. She tried to come after the two of you, not Eli. He's perfectly safe."

She nodded and sat back down. "Sorry. I'm just a little freaked out right now."

"We all understand. It's to be expected." He stood up and put his jacket on. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to make sure they've gotten any evidence she might have left ." He looked over at me. "If she's still in the neighborhood, we'll find her," he said confidently.

I nodded and thanked him before turning back to Bella. "I think Emmett was right. I think we could use that trip to Vegas."

I needed to either drink myself into oblivion or call my father for a prescription for Xanax, Valium, Lorazepam, Ativan--what the fuck ever--so that I didn't lose my God damned mind.

"What exactly did you do out there?" she asked hesitantly.

I ran my hand through my hair. "I hit the officer that was supposed to be watching the house," I said, cringing away from her response.

"You what?!" she screeched. "You can't go and hit someone whenever you feel like it!"

"Why the hell not?" I asked loudly, feeling my temper flare.

"Because we're adults!"

"He fucked up, Bella! You're not angry with him about it? Because I sure as hell am!" I yelled back at her.

"Yes, I'm angry. But you just assaulted a freaking police officer!" she screamed.

"Bella-" I cut myself off.

I could feel the blood pounding loudly behind my ears as the adrenaline pumped through my veins. I was so fucking pissed, my vision blurred. I looked around the room, focusing on the crystal vase that sat in the middle of the island. I reached over and grabbed it, blindly throwing it at the wall and watching it shatter into thousands of tiny pieces, scattering wildly across the floor.

"I can't take this shit anymore!" I shouted. "I'm supposed to put my fucking trust in those assholes that sit out there and watch the house and this is what happens! What if you would have been home alone? THEN WHAT?! He deserved more than just a fucking punch, Bella! He deserved to have the living fuck beat out of him!"

"What good are you to me if you're in jail!" she shrieked. "How are you supposed to do the one thing you so desperately want--to protect me--if you're locked up in the county jail?!"

I pinched my nose with my fingers. Fuck if she wasn't right. "Damn it," I said, clenching my teeth and trying to reign myself in. "I'm sorry. You're right. I won't let it happen again."

"Fine." Her voice was hard.

I dropped my hand and laughed bitterly as I looked at the scuffed paint on the wall. "We're fighting over my temper and here I am throwing shit at the wall. Great."

"We're not fighting." I raised my eyebrows questioningly. "Well, maybe for a minute there."

I scrubbed my face with my hands. "I am sorry. I'm just having a really bad day."

"It's okay," she said quietly. "We've got all this going on and it doesn't seem to be getting any better. It's bound to catch up with us every now and then."

"I know." I pulled her against me, kissing her hair. "Are you all right?"

She nodded. "What do you think she wanted?"

I sighed heavily. "I don't know."

******************************

**Bella**

The flight to Seattle was excruciatingly long. I bounced anxiously in my seat, ready to lay eyes on my son and know that he was perfectly safe and unharmed. That Jane hadn't found him; that our plan to keep him safe was working.

I knew it was completely irrational. I'd spoken to him over the phone yesterday and he was fine. Charlie knew of the attempted break-in Tuesday and had been keeping close tabs on Eli since. But it did nothing to ease the mounting terror that seemed to infuse its way into my lungs. My chest felt tight, my breathing was labored. I wasn't going to truly be able to breathe until I saw him.

Whatever mental break Edward had gone through on Tuesday seemed to help clear his mind. He'd managed to get all his frustrations out that day and seemed back to normal. Or as normal as we could be given the situation.

If I thought this would tear Edward and I apart, it seemed to be doing the exact opposite. We were changing, evolving, as we limped through this wholeordeal. She was bringing us closer together, even though we occasionally felt the strains of the situation on our relationship. We were permanently fused together now, unable to tear ourselves apart even if we tried. I loved him even more for his strength and intelligence, his courage and his willingness to do anything Aro asked of him.

We finally landed at Sea-Tac and I passed the cockpit, stopping as I saw Tyler print something out.

"What's that?" I asked, eyeing the paper curiously.

"Flight plan." He looked over and gave me a quick smile.

I nodded. "Hey, thanks for doing this. Again."

He rolled his eyes. "Bella, you thank me every weekend. If I weren't doing this for you and Cullen, I'd be doing it for someone else. No need to thank me for doing my job."

I bit my lip in uncertainty. I owed him so much more than I could ever give him. "Yeah. Okay."

"Are you coming, baby?" Edward called up the steps. "It's fucking pouring!"

_Welcome to Seattle._

I laughed. "I'm coming."

I got off the plane and immediately put my hand in Edward's as the three of us made our way to the car rental counter. Jacob seemed resigned to the fact that Edward and I were together. It was almost as if he accepted it. I thought being around us so frequently, watching Edward's constant touches and kisses, would divide us. Instead, it seemed to unite us. We weren't going to let anything happen to Eli and were working together to ensure that it didn't.

We rented two cars and went to the hotel Jacob had reserved rooms at and checked in. I knocked on Charlie's door and saw a black blur come charging out of the room, past Charlie, and straight to me.

"Momma!" Eli squealed, hugging my legs tightly.

And just like that, I could breathe again.

"Hi, baby!" I said, extricating myself from his grasp and crouching down so that I could hug him properly. "I missed you! Did you have a good week?"

"Uh-huh! I got to go on a field trip!" he said excitedly.

"You did? Where did you go?" I asked with curiosity.

"To the police station! Grandpa Charlie showed my whole class around! We even got to go see the jail!"

"Wow, that's great!" I let him go and stood up.

He looked over at Edward and squealed again. "Edward!"

He launched himself at Edward, making Edward laugh wholeheartedly and scoop him up. "Hey, little man!"

"Edward! Guess what Grandpa Charlie bought for me?"

Edward deliberately widened his eyes. "I don't know. What?"

"He got me my Halloween costume!"

Edward playfully gaped at him. "What are you going to be?"

"Bumblebee!" he giggled.

"What happened to Spiderman?"

"He changed his mind," Charlie chimed in, annoyed. "He changed his mind twelve times. I've never seen anything like it."

Edward chuckled. "You hungry?" Eli nodded. "Let's go get your dad and then get something to eat. You'll have to bring your costume with you to our room so we can see it later."

"Okay!"

We got to Jacob's room and went through the entire greeting again, listening with huge smiles as Eli told his dad about the field trip and his Halloween costume. He chattered endlessly through dinner, telling us everything that had happened during the week in Forks. We finally made it back to the room and managed to quiet him down enough to be able to fall asleep ourselves. If I'd doubted at all that he was all right with Charlie and Billy, I didn't now.

******************************

"Trick or Treat!" Eli screamed over the other kids as the woman opened the door to what seemed like the hundredth house Eli had gone to.

I wearily laid my head on Edward's shoulder as we stood at the sidewalk and waited for him to come back. We'd been to one of the local farms, going through the pumpkin patch, corn maze, and petting zoo before watching him ride one of the ponies and the kiddie rides. My feet were aching and my back was killing me.

I breathed in the crisp, fall air and couldn't help but wonder...where did summer go?

Edward chuckled and pressed his lips to my forehead. "You doing okay there, baby?"

"No," I whined. "I want to go back to the hotel."

"Well, let's finish the block and then we can take him back," he suggested.

"Eli said something about going to the little haunted house they've got for kids," Jacob interrupted.

"Ah, hell. I forgot about that," I groaned.

Eli came running up to us with his bag held high. "Look, Momma! That lady gave me a cookie!"

I took the saran wrapped cookie and threw it in the trash as we walked by. "We don't eat anything these people give you unless it's been bought at the store. It's not safe, baby."

He frowned. "Okay."

"If you want a cookie, let's go back to the hotel and get you one." I bit my lip, waiting hopefully for his answer.

"They have cookies?" I nodded. "Yay!"

I breathed a sigh of relief. "Back to the hotel."

We got back to the hotel and let Eli tell Jacob goodnight before heading up to our room. Edward immediately ordered room service--including Eli's cookie--as Eli and I sat down on the floor and started going through his bag.

"Wow, look at all that candy!" I said excitedly.

"Momma? Can I eat some?"

"Nope. Not until after dinner. Then you can have one piece before bed and that's it." I glanced at the clock. "It's already almost eight."

"But, I want a Reese's. And some M & M's. And aminal crackers! Ooh! And this, too!" he said, holding up a Snickers bar.

"You can pick one tonight and then you can have more after breakfast tomorrow," I said sternly.

"Mom!" he groaned.

"Mom, nothing. I'm not staying up all night because you ate too much sugar and can't fall asleep," I said with a wide grin.

Edward's phone started chirping in his pocket. I looked over at him as he pulled it out and watched him roll his eyes and put it back in his pocket.

I looked at him in confusion. "Who was that?"

"Tanya."

My brows furrowed. "Since when did you not answer her calls?"

"Since now," he smirked. "I just didn't feel like talking to her. I'd rather spend my night with the two of you."

"Oh."

I thought back to the last time I saw Tanya and realized it was over two months ago, when I had lunch with Esme.

Suddenly, the image of Tanya glancing over towards the door as she spoke to us flashed in my mind, causing me to gasp. The brunette that was standing there waiting for her was the woman who had her hands on Eli that day at the restaurant--Jane.

"Holy shit!" I yelled, standing up quickly. "I know where I recognized Jane from!"

Edward rushed over to me. "What? Where did you see her?"

I stared directly into his eyes, feeling the anger boil inside me. "She was at the restaurant that day I had lunch with your mother. She was with Tanya."

***~***

**Je la baisais sur la table, le trou du cul--I was fucking her on the table, asshole. Baiser literally means kiss but is slang for fuck.**

**Animal is deliberately spelled wrong ;) My oldest said aminal until she was almost 7.**


	30. Chapter 30

**Sorry for the delay...RL and all that. I don't know if it was because I was sick and I'm still not all here, but this chapter was even harder to write than the last two I bitched about! **

**As always, thanks for the reviews! **

***~***

Chapter 30

**Bella**

Blurting out the fact that I saw Jane and Tanya together at a restaurant one day just after Edward had seen her at the aquarium was not the best idea.

His hands balled up into tight fists at his side while his entire body actually seemed to vibrate with his anger. His bright green eyes flashed with so much hatred, I flinched and looked away instinctively as his eyes bore into me.

"Please tell me you're fucking mistaken," he said venomously. I shook my head, my eyes widening in fear. "You mean to tell me I've been talking to the _one person_ who's had some sort of connection with Jane almost every day for the last two fucking months?"

"Yes," I said, shying away.

I heard the audible snap of his teeth as he struggled to remain calm around Eli. "God fucking damn it!" he yelled from in between them.

We both saw Eli's head snap up and look at us questioningly from the corner of our eyes. Edward motioned with his head to join him out on the balcony and I had no choice but to follow him in order to keep this conversation from taking place in front of Eli.

"Tell me everything," he demanded harshly as soon as I shut the door.

"I did! I saw Jane with Tanya the last time I had lunch with Esme!"

"Was she talking to her? Or what? I'm having a hard time with this considering Tanya doesn't fucking know her," he said coldly.

"Are you calling me a liar?" I asked angrily.

"No! Damn it, Bella. I'm trying to figure this out!" he yelled at me, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"You want to know?" I replied crossly. "Okay, Tanya came over to Esme and me and started talking to us. She looked back at Jane and said that she'd better go. I didn't see them eat together, I didn't see them talking to one another. But they _did_ leave together." I took a deep breath. "Now, are you done taking it out on me?"

"Fuck, I'm not trying to take it out on you, baby. I promise." He took my shivering body in his arms and kissed my hair. "Let's get you back inside."

I followed him inside and sat down with him, numbly watching the TV as we listened to Eli play on the floor. Edward's phone rang in his pocket and I watched his face contort in anger as he read the screen. He stood up and bolted for the door, leaving the room and slamming it behind him.

Stunned, I went to help Eli clean up his candy. Once we'd picked everything up and put it back in his bag, we heard the knock of the door. I ran to the door, hoping it was Edward and that he'd forgotten his key to get in, but found that it was someone from room service instead, bringing us our dinner.

Eli and I ate in silence. He watched TV while I struggled to remain calm, only picking at my food. I knew Edward would never hurt me, that much was clear, but it still didn't stop my impulse reaction to be utterly terrified of him. Add to that the intense worry I'd felt since he left, unsure of where he went or when he would be back, and now that the initial shock of Edward's departure was wearing off, I was beginning to freak out.

I could feel every fiber of my being panic on a cellular level--electrons frantically circulating around each and every nucleus in every single atom in my body. It was horrifying.

I knew I needed to give him some time alone to process it--to smash a few random things in his path and beat up a few innocent walls or light posts, whatever it was that he did when he was this pissed about something--so I got Eli and myself ready for bed and cleaned up the room, setting the now almost empty tray of food out in the hall and leaving Edward's plate on the table. I crawled in the bed and took my phone off the nightstand, listening to the incessant ring on the other end and praying that Edward would pick up.

After the third try, I gave up, leaving him a hysterical-sounding voicemail--even to my ears--and throwing my phone on the bed as I curled up in the fetal position and let the sobs rack my body. I kept my face buried in the pillow so that I didn't wake Eli, but even the constant stream of muffled cries didn't do anything to purge my body of the guilt I felt for basically telling Edward that Tanya had either betrayed him or unknowingly led Jane to us.

Finally, I couldn't take it anymore. I needed to know he was okay. I called Jacob over and over, intent on going out and searching for Edward, but got no answer from him either.

_What is it with no one answering their God damned phones tonight?_

I couldn't call Charlie. The last thing I needed to do was to let him know what was going on and in turn call Aro before Edward had a chance to truly get a handle on the situation. Resigned that no one was going to be coming up here to stay with Eli while I hunted for Edward, I laid down and stared at the ceiling as I battled the fear and anxiety that threatened to take me down.

Sometime later, I heard the fumbling of the key card being swiped in the door and shot out of the bed, getting to the door just as Edward opened it.

He looked utterly defeated as he walked in the room. My hand immediately went out to touch him, to soothe him, and was met with him shrugging me off and staring intensely at me even though I was still unable to meet his gaze.

"Are..." I cleared my throat. "Are you all right?"

"Nope," he said with a dark laugh. I finally met his eyes and knew the concern and guilt was etched in my face. "Just don't. Not fucking now, please. Just...go back to bed."

I stood there, frozen in place, as he walked over to the balcony and went outside, shutting the door behind him and leaning over the rail, watching the streets below. I longed to run over to him and touch him, to make sure he was okay, but knew it wouldn't be well received at the moment.

I managed to break the ice that had its hold on me and go back to bed, closing my eyes and trying to sleep, but finding immediately that sleep wasn't going to come easy tonight. I tossed and turned, occasionally bursting into tears again, all while Edward stood motionless on the balcony.

At some point, I must've fallen asleep, because I was awoken by Edward's inhumanly cold arms gently wrapping themselves around me. I started, making the bed shake with my involuntary reaction, and turned to him.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

"What for?" I brought my hand to his cold face. "You're so cold! You're going to get sick!"

He shrugged against the bed. "I'll be fine. I'm sorry for taking off like that and then freaking you out when I came back."

"I was already freaked out," I muttered.

"I'm sorry," he repeated, kissing my nose with his icy lips. "Just try to get some sleep, a ghrá. We've got an early flight back to Chicago...later today."

I groaned. "How late is it?" He was blocking my view of the clock.

"Just past three," he said apologetically.

I nodded. "Are you okay now?"

He unknowingly shook his head against the pillow but said, "I'm fine."

******************************

**Edward**

I laid there, watching Bella sleep and couldn't stop my heart from aching with the thought of everything I'd brought on her, on Eli. I'd ranted and raved, venting my frustrations out on more than one occasion to Tanya, only for it to come back and bite me in the ass for trusting her.

The sharp pain of betrayal ran deep, cutting me to my bones.

I couldn't stop myself from trying to figure out the why. What the fuck I did to make Tanya want to hurt Bella. Was it because I never wanted a relationship with her? Because I thought the sex with her was nice, but wasn't connected to her romantically? Did she want revenge?

None of it made fucking sense. She always seemed so happy that things with Bella were going well, always asking how she was doing, how Eli was. Although, I suppose she was just the best fucking actress I knew and never meant any of it.

I didn't know what to do about it. I knew the responsible thing to do would be to call Aro first thing in the morning and tell him of Bella's realization, connecting Jane to Tanya, but I wanted to do more than just that. If Tanya had been a guy, I'd have caught the last flight out to Chicago and would already be on her doorstep, on the verge of manslaughter.

I fell into a restless sleep, waking to an empty bed and nearly cursing at Eli when he came joyously bounding through the room. Apparently the rage I'd felt last night hadn't worn off any.

I could still feel it burning under my skin, boiling my blood. I brought my hand up to run it through my hair and hissed in pain as soon as my fingers connected with my scalp.

I looked at it in disbelief, examining it meticulously, and then frowning as I realized I sprained my wrist when I beat the hell out of that guy in the bar last night.

_Fucking shit._

I'd completely forgotten about the asshole that I'd released my inner turmoil and fury on.

Last night, I worked on calming myself whenever I came back in with Bella, knowing that I needed to be as normal as possible in front of Eli. But as soon as my phone rang and I saw that it was Tanya calling again, I almost lost it.

My temper flared, causing every part of my body to feel the forceful pounding of my angered heart. So, I did the only thing I could think of and left. I walked around aimlessly for hours, trying to control the feelings that pulsed through me. I finally gave up and walked into the closest bar, deciding to get a drink and warm up before I headed back in the direction of the hotel. I knew Bella was worried--she had called a few times already--but I couldn't bring myself to answer the phone. All I wanted to do was yell at someone and there was no possible way I would let that person be Bella.

I sat down at the bar and ordered a JD on the rocks and nursed it while the feeling slowly made its way back into my hands and feet. As I warmed up, a tall, slender blond came over and sat next to me. I could feel her watching me, eyeing me speculatively, and after somewhere around ten minutes, I'd had enough. I slowly turned my head and sent her the coldest glare I could manage.

"Need to take a fucking picture?" I snapped.

Her eyes widened in shock before she slowly smiled. "God, you're hot. Could I?"

I pushed my sleeves up my arms and shook my head. "Absolutely not."

Her face fell slightly. "No?"

"No," I repeated.

She looked down at my arm and licked her lips as she ran her gaze over my tattoo. "What's that say?"

"Not self, but country. I got it when I was in the Navy." My voice was hard.

Couldn't this girl take a fucking hint?

I heard her quick intake of air and glanced over at her. "Got any more?" I nodded. "Can I see them?"

"No." I threw back the rest of my drink, grimacing at the burn as it went down my throat. "I need to get back to my fiancée now. I'd say it was nice talking to you, but it wasn't."

I grabbed my wallet out of my back pocket and threw a few bills down on the bar, ready to get as far away from this girl as possible. When I turned around, I was face to face with an angry-looking Italian.

"Aw, fuck. What now?" I groaned, trying to move past him.

"Nobody flirts with my girl and gets away with it," he seethed. "You think you can just come in here and hit on any girl you want?"

I laughed because it was the funniest shit I'd heard all day, which made him even angrier. "If you had half a brain and watched this at all, you'd know that _your girl_ was fucking hitting on me. Not the other way around."

I went to push the blockhead out of my way, but he didn't budge. "Get the fuck out of my way," I said through my gritted teeth.

"Or what?" he taunted.

That was all I needed. All the rage; all the betrayal, hurt, and stress from the last couple of months came pouring over me, taking away my sense of reason or preservation. I was so furious, I blacked out as soon as I landed the first punch, unaware of anything else until I was escorted out of the bar by the bouncers.

I finally managed to shrug out of their hold and cringed at the pain that shot up my arm when I adjusted my shirt. I scrubbed my face and noticed that my wrist was the only part of my body that had been harmed in the fight. The other guy couldn't say the same. His lip was busted, one side of his face was swelling and the eye on the opposite side of his face was turning an ugly bluish-purple color and was lidded, almost to the point of being swollen shut. I watched him walk away with a slight limp.

_Jesus Fucking God, what did I do to the poor bastard?_

I shook away the guilt, because after all, it was the fucktard's fault, not mine. I was on my way out the door when he felt the need to start shit over the blond bimbo sitting next to me.

I made my way back to the hotel, taking a couple wrong turns and having to double back before I finally recognized my surroundings. I wasn't as angry as I was when I left. It was like that part of me had gone numb at some point in the evening and I was left with the intense feeling of ruin.

I opened the door and saw Bella, looking at me with the most heart-broken and concerned expression on her face, and I knew I couldn't handle it. Not then, anyway. Not without breaking down in tears or smashing a hole through the wall, fucking my wrist up even further. So, I pushed her away and went outside to think, but instead I only stared at the street below, watching a few cars go by and wondering what the fuck I was going to do when I got back to Chicago.

And then my mind finally stopped spinning long enough to realize that I was letting the situation come between Bella and me. That if I kept up with the self-pity and self-loathing, letting myself stew in the pure unadulterated hatred I had towards Tanya and Jane at the moment, I would push her away and lose her.

I couldn't let that happen.

There was no longer Bella; there was no longer me. We were connected--joined by our souls--so completely entwined, there was never a thought of _my life_ or _her life_ anymore. She had engrained herself into my subconscious; every thought wrapped itself around her--us. Without her, I no longer existed. This whole ordeal had brought us closer together than I'd ever imagined possible and I was threatening to destroy it once again with my stupidity.

So, I went back inside and did the only thing I could--apologize for being a complete and total fucking ass and worrying her to death.

I stopped thinking about it. I got out of the bed and went over to her, kissing her softly on the cheek and smiling at her in the mirror as I wrapped my arms around her tiny waist.

"God, I fucking love you. You know that, right?" The words weren't enough anymore.

She looked at me curiously and nodded. "You feeling any better today?"

I shrugged but remained silent. I couldn't tell her that my vision was still tainted with red, that I wanted to let the rage consume me once more in the hope that it would finally disappear. That behind the rage was a man desperate for the answer to the riddle laid out in front of him; of the sadness and despair that was held within me, not only for myself but for Bella and Eli as well. That I was on the verge of becoming murderous when I thought of Tanya's treachery, teetering on the thin line between normality and insanity. I was about to break and the only thing holding me together was the girl right here in my arms.

_Fuck._

That one word wasn't even enough anymore either.

She moved her hand to her waist and squeezed my hand, causing me to jump back in pain.

"What did you do?" she asked, worried.

"Nothing. It's fine. Just hit something I shouldn't have last night." She didn't need to worry about me any more than she already was. "I'm going to take a shower. Want to grab some breakfast with Eli before we leave?"

"Sure," she said, distracted. I knew she was thinking of all the possible things I could have done last night to hurt myself, but I'd be damned if she found out before we got back to Chicago.

She still had to tell Eli goodbye for the week, and I was not about to make that any harder for her.

******************************

**Bella**

The flight back to Chicago was deadly quiet. Edward sat in his seat, running his hand over my thigh, occasionally pushing a stray lock of hair away from my face, brooding the entire time. He didn't have to tell me what exactly he spent the four hours on the plane thinking about. He was trying to figure out the best way to handle Tanya, going through the appropriate actions and getting her into the police station for questioning while satisfying his need for his own kind of justice. I wasn't sure what we would be doing once we got back home but had enough trust and faith in him to not worry about it.

Jacob was uncharacteristically silent as well, almost seeming as if he was distracted by something. The curiosity flared up and fought against the normal, Bella-like reaction to just not care. I wasn't into gossip; it just wasn't me. But this wasn't just an acquaintance of mine. This was Jacob. That childhood need to know everything about him was still buried deep inside me, something I didn't realize even existed anymore after everything he'd put me through.

I would be lying if I said that little part of my past that still existed inside me didn't piss me off. The connection I had with Jacob should have been severed--I _thought_ it was severed.

But I never said anything. It wasn't my place anymore. I was no longer his best friend, he was no longer mine. And the part of me that just didn't care was much, much larger than that one small little sliver inside me that did.

We got to Chicago and wordlessly went our separate ways. I wasn't even sure Jacob even knew that Edward and I had already gotten into the back of a police cruiser when he stepped off the plane.

We got home and quickly unpacked before changing our clothes. Edward led me to the Volvo and opened the passenger's side door, expecting me to get in. I did, of course, and he quickly walked to the driver's side and put the key in the ignition before uttering a single word.

"What the hell was with Jacob?" he asked, starting the car.

Not exactly what I expected to come out of his mouth after almost five hours of silence.

"I don't know," I said nonchalantly. "And I don't really care."

He nodded. "Me neither. I was just curious. He usually doesn't shut the fuck up on flights. It was actually nice. I could think in peace."

He pulled out of the driveway and I suddenly _had _to know what we were doing. "Edward? Where are we going?"

"Tanya's," he said flatly. His irate gaze flickered to me. "Is that all right?"

I nodded because I was almost certain that it didn't matter what I thought of it or not. And if I was being totally honest with myself, I wanted the chance to confront her before we handed her over to Aro--something that surprised the hell out of me. I never thought of myself as a fighter, usually taking the roads that lead to the least amount of confrontation, but I was no longer the same person that I was five months ago. Something inside me had shifted and changed me for the better. I was stronger.

We drove out of Roscoe Village and onto the interstate, driving west, towards some of the suburbs. I'd lived in Chicago for months and was now realizing how little I actually knew about it. It seemed Edward's entire family was based in Lakeview or Lincoln Park somewhere. Not only that but Jacob and I both had moved to Wrigleyville when we came to Chicago, which was just another part of Lakeview.

I was so freaking sheltered.

"She lives in the suburbs?" I questioned.

He nodded. "Naperville."

I watched the scenery quietly, unable to find anything else to say. By the time the forty-five minute drive had come to an end and we were stopping at the gate of the biggest house I'd ever seen, I was literally shaking in my seat.

"Oh, my God," I breathed.

"Yeah. Now you see why they all moved back out here with their parents. It's fucking huge," he said tersely.

"I'll say."

He punched in a code on the gate and I raised my eyebrow questioningly. He looked over and noticed my expression, chuckling for the first time since we'd gone trick-or-treating last night.

"The whole family knows the code," he explained. "We've all house-sat at one point or another over the years."

Edward pulled up the driveway and parked near the walkway, quickly coming over to my side and opening the door for me. He took my shaking hand in his and sighed.

"Are you shaking from nerves or anger?" he asked, looking at me with concern.

"Both," I admitted.

He leaned down and kissed me gently. "Are you going to be okay?" I nodded. "Then let's go."

He led me to the front door and rang the bell. I bounced anxiously on my feet as I listened to the chiming ring out inside. He pulled out a picture from his back pocket and fidgeted with it impatiently, scowling the entire time.

The door opened, and Kate answered the door, grinning excitedly as she looked at Edward.

"Hey! What are you doing here?" She glanced over at me and smiled warmly. "Hi, Bella. It's nice to see you again."

"You too," I said quietly.

I was so nervous I could barely speak the words.

"Is Tanya here?" Edward asked politely.

Kate's smile faltered, sensing something was wrong. "She's upstairs in the rec room. Want to go on up?"

Edward gave her a small smile. "Thanks."

We walked inside and I had to physically force myself up the stairs behind Edward. My whole body locked up with dread, not wanting to hear what Tanya had to say anymore. Not only that, but I wanted to just stand and stare in awe at the general splendor of this house. It was almost as amazing as the interior of Carlisle and Esme's house but, given the circumstances, I'd have to save that for another day--if it ever came.

Edward knocked on a large, oak door and was answered by Tanya's soft voice in reply. We walked in and Edward's body went rigid with anger as soon as he laid eyes on her.

His voice rang out in the quiet room like a death sentence. "You have got some fucking explaining to do, Tanya." He held up the picture of him with Jane. "Why the fuck did Bella see you with Jane a couple of months ago?"

She looked over at me, her mouth gaping in shock, frozen in place. She quickly shook herself out of it and rushed across the room to us, snatching the picture from Edward's hand.

"How do you know Anna?" she asked in disbelief.

"Anna?" I squeaked.

Suddenly, the entire world seemed to be upended, spinning uncontrollably on its axis. I grabbed on to Edward for support, feeling myself sway as tiny black dots floated across my vision.

"Shit!" Edward yelled. "Bella? Bella, baby? Are you all right?" He grasped my arms and forced me to bend over as he led me to the closest chair and sat me down. "Breathe," he instructed, rubbing my back soothingly.

I did as he told me, squeezing my eyes closed and fighting against the insane urge I had to throw up and pass out simultaneously. I finally managed to right myself and opened my eyes, slowly raising myself up and looking at him.

"Anna," I whispered. "That's what she said her name was when she tried to take Eli."

"Oh, fuck," he said in understanding. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah." I swallowed hard. "I'm better now."

He looked me over for a moment before reluctantly turning towards Tanya. "This is not Anna. This is _Jane_. I need to know what the fuck you're doing with her," he said harshly.

"Jane?" She looked at the picture and teared up as the realization hit her. "Edward! I didn't know! I swear to you! She said her name was Anna!"

His eyes were bright with the fiery anger he held inside. "I'll repeat it again, Tanya. Tell me what the fuck you're doing with her."

"I haven't seen her in a month! It was like she just dropped off the planet. " She saw Edward's face harden and his nostrils flare. "Let me explain," she hurried.

"Get to it," he said between his teeth.

"She came into the bar one weekend when I was working and was a mess. She said she'd just ran into an old boyfriend and needed a drink." She thought for a second. "Actually, she said she needed many drinks. So, I poured her a few on the house and started talking to her. She told me about the ex who had basically destroyed her life and sent her into a mental institution. I guess she meant you?" Edward nodded once. "I felt bad for her, she came in alone, and so I gave her my number and told her if she ever wanted to hang out to let me know.

"She called a couple weeks later and we ended up meeting for lunch. It was the day I saw Bella and Esme. We were having normal girl talk, talking about exes and things like that. She asked me who the last guy I slept with was, and I had to admit it was you. She started asking me all kinds of things about you, which I stupidly answered, and wanted to know if I was angry at you for keeping me on the side all those years and then dumping me for Bella." She sighed. "I thought something was off with the way she kept wanting to know details about you, but I didn't worry about it. I tried to explain the situation and tell her the feeling was mutual, but she didn't want to hear it. She didn't believe me.

"I saw Bella rushing over to Esme and mentioned something in passing about that being your new girlfriend and your mother over there while I pointed them out to her. She let out a very odd sound and began muttering something to herself while her eyes kept darting over to her side, but it was too low for me to understand it. She straightened herself out and said that she had somewhere to be so we should get going.

"We paid the bill and I went over to talk to Bella and Esme before we left and she said she'd wait for me at the door. After we got outside, she started fidgeting and rocking on her feet and said that she needed to go and that she'd call me later and we could get together again. And then she took off. I haven't heard from her since."

Edward unclenched his jaw. "Do you have her number?" I could see the hope in his eyes.

"I used to have it on my phone but I got a new one and erased it since I didn't think I'd need it again." She looked around the room. "But I think I might have it in my room somewhere."

"Edward," I gasped and wiped the relieved tears from my eyes.

"I know, a ghrá," he said tenderly. "It's almost over." I heard his breath hitch as he bent down to kiss my cheek softly before quickly turning back to Tanya. "This is what you're going to do. You're going to find that God damn number and then we're going directly to the police station so you can tell the detective that's been working our case everything you just told us and give him her number. Hopefully, she still has the phone and we can trace her so this will all be over."

She nodded. "Let me go look for it." She started for the door and paused. "I'm really sorry," she said sniffling. "I had no idea. I swear. I'll do anything to make this better."

Edward gave her a sad smile. "If you want to make this better you'll tell the police everything and help us find her so that Bella and I can have our son back home with us."

******************************

**Edward**

Tanya turned her room upside down looking for the phone number Jane gave her. But thank fucking God, she finally found it.

My anger died down the instant Bella connected the name Anna to Jane's attempt at kidnapping Eli. Now I felt worn down and beleaguered. Since we were closer to finding her, the need for all this to be over caused my soul to physically ache. I still was pissed at Tanya, but now it was for a completely different reason.

Her complete foolishness.

But at least I could finally see an end to all this madness. Every day we were one step closer and I was finally able to look forward to the future; to opening our restaurant together, watching Bella walk down the aisle towards me in a white dress with Eli by our sides, and envisioning the perfect little copper-haired babies we would someday bring home from the hospital.

I couldn't fucking wait.

The gap of time between leaving Tanya's house and getting to the police station was a black, empty space of nothingness. I didn't remember a thing until I found myself sitting in the chair at Aro's desk, waiting impatiently for him to get done questioning Tanya.

I didn't know if I thought of Tanya's involvement being a mere coincidence, or if Jane had manipulated the situation to involve Tanya if necessary. I couldn't remember ever really talking about Tanya to Jane--but it didn't mean I never did. If she remembered anything about Tanya and Kate, she would have known exactly how to find them.

Bella seemed just as edgy as I was, continuously bouncing in her seat and picking at her fingernails. I watched her pick her nail and wince when she'd picked it to the point of bleeding and finally had to put an end to it.

"Bella, sweetheart. You've got to calm down. You're going to make every one of your fingers bleed if you don't watch it," I said, taking her hand away from her and pressing my lips to the small wound.

"I can't help it. Do you think this is finally going to all be over?" She put her head against my shoulder.

"I hope so. But I've said that before, I'm sure."

Tanya came through the door with Aro on her heels, crying softly into a tissue. She blew past us, never once looking at our bewildered faces, and rushed out towards the door.

"What the fuck did you do to her?" I asked Aro in annoyance. Not that I didn't think she deserved it at the moment.

"She feels extremely guilty that she's had contact with Jane while this has been going on with you."

"As she should," I replied.

"Edward!" Bella scolded. "She didn't know!"

"I don't fucking care. I'll forgive her, eventually, but right now I'm furious that she never put two and two together. It could have saved us a lot of fucking time, money, and heartache. I mean, how fucking blind do you have to be?" I demanded.

Aro chuckled. "Your friend was honestly no help at all except for the phone number, which may or may not be the break in the case we need. I had Tanya call the number from her cell phone and it went directly to voicemail-"

"Shit, it's probably on route to the fucking dump by now," I interrupted in disgust.

"It's possible. But I had Tanya leave a message and if Jane is still using the phone, we'll be able to pinpoint her location as soon as she uses it to make a call."

I nodded mutely. I didn't want to think about missing the opportunity to find her if she'd already abandoned the phone.

"In the mean time, I'll be looking into the phone number itself and finding out which phone company she got the phone with and if there is an account attached to it with a billing address." He grinned widely. "This is all good, Edward. So let's be hopeful, shall we?"


	31. Chapter 31

**I got a few comments about Edward's relationship with Tanya...let me clear some of that up.**

**First of all, Edward may talk to Tanya frequently, but that doesn't necessarily mean that he is the one doing the calling. If you remember, Tanya mentioned something to Bella at lunch that day about never hearing from him anymore. It's assumed that Bella tells Edward what she says and given the type of personality that Edward has, he tries to mend the friendship. Now, why doesn't this bother Bella? Well, because there's no romantic connection there. There's no baggage that you get with exes because Tanya is not an ex. And it's been my personal experience that if you're completely happy and satisfied in your relationship, trust and jealously are never issues. I'm not a jealous person by nature, so I don't usually write jealously unless it's necessary for the story--they have plenty of angst going on without adding any more. Another thing I was questioned about is why doesn't Edward vent to only Emmett and Jasper? Because occasionally, you need someone on the outside who isn't so personally involved. Someone who might be able to look at things a different way than the people who are involved.**

**And as for Edward taking everything out on Bella, well, as you will see, he realizes the error of his ways ;)**

**Lemon ahead and just so you know, the entire chapter is in BPOV, but I'll make up for that next time. Ch 32 will be in EPOV.**

***~***

Chapter 31

**Bella**

Edward and I managed to make it home before collapsing in the bed from sheer exhaustion. Between the traveling and the flurry of emotions we'd been subjected to over the weekend, I was honestly surprised we made it home safely, without Edward falling asleep at the wheel and resulting in us careening in a ditch somewhere.

All day Monday, I struggled to focus at work. I was in and out of awareness most of the day, so wrapped up in worry over Edward, I couldn't carry on a simple conversation with Jessica about Mike and I ended up burning a tuna steak that had been ordered rare--which in itself was very sad. I managed to make it the rest of the day without causing any other dilemmas for myself and went home to find an unresponsive Edward sitting on the couch, staring off in the distance at...well, at nothing.

I managed to get my guilt laden self in bed without breaking down in tears. I couldn't understand what was going on with us and was too afraid to ask. I knew without a shadow of a doubt that Edward loved me. But there comes a time when the stress and strain of outside situations begin to take a toll on the relationship. We were on a precipice, swaying back and forth with the gale-like winds that came at us from all sides, threatening to push us over the edge and into the abyss below. My whole world--Eli's world--had managed to center itself so wholly around Edward in such a short amount of time, I didn't know how I would cope without him in my life.

Tuesday was the same.

By Wednesday, I was pissed. While Edward wasn't taking his feelings out on me directly, he was affecting me with every action he did. Or in this case, every action he _didn't_ do. It was like he'd been turned to stone, unfeeling and unmoving. He only got up to go to work, going through the daily motions but never once speaking to me. It had been two days of utter silence from the man I promised to spend the rest of my life with. I was frazzled; heavy with the guilt I felt for not remembering where I saw Jane from any sooner, worried that whatever turmoil secretly going on inside Edward was going to rip us apart, and pissed off that he'd managed to go emo on me and push me completely away.

So, it wasn't a big surprise to find the Volvo sitting in its usual spot, announcing that Edward was home, but seeing that there was not a single light on in the house. It had been the scene I'd come home to every day for the last three days. And I'd had enough.

I got out of my car and mentally prepared myself, jumping up and down like a prize fighter. I looked like a fool, but I didn't care. I ran through my argument thoroughly, determined to not let his dazzling crooked smile and piercing green eyes distract me. He needed to know that not only was he neglecting me, but he was letting the space between us gradually grow larger and larger, creating a chasm of dead air between us. That I didn't want to lose him--the thought of it nearly caused my insides to feel as if they'd been ripped into shreds--but I wasn't going to sit around and be ignored. And that the emo bullshit had to end. I wanted _us_ back.

"Babe?" I called as I walked through the garage door. I could at least start nicely.

I took one step in the kitchen and listened for any sound indicating he'd heard me--or would answer me--and got nothing. Sighing, I inhaled deeply and was assaulted by the most wonderful smell that was floating through the air. It was garlicky and rich--Italian. I took another deep breath and closed my eyes, smiling to myself.

_Wait a second. Edward doesn't cook._

My eyes snapped open with the thought. They darted around the dark kitchen again and saw nothing out of place.

"Babe?" I called again, a little louder. "Edward?"

He came through the doorway, wiping his hands off on a hand towel and beaming at me. "Hey! You're back!" He walked over to me and placed a chaste kiss on my lips. "How was your day?"

I was frozen in place by the radical change in his mood. It was all I could do to purse my lips and kiss him back.

He stood there, waiting expectantly for my answer with his usual pleasant smile plastered to his face. I quickly shook myself out of it and answered him.

"G-Good. Get any news?" I stammered.

It was the first thing that came to my mind that would cause him to go back to normal. I could feel the anticipation of his answer build inside me, rising up and fluttering in my chest. I bit down on the inside of my cheek, trying to control it.

"I did," he grinned. "Aro called this afternoon and said that they got the billing address of the phone and they're setting up a stake out. They should be ready to go by Friday afternoon."

My eyes widened. "That's great! Oh, God, wouldn't it be wonderful if they caught her?" I asked wistfully.

"Yes, it would. But you watch, she won't be there."

"So pessimistic," I said, scowling.

He shrugged. "Just being realistic. So, it looks like Vegas is going to have to be postponed."

"Why?"

He looked away from me for a minute, trying to figure out how to phrase whatever it was he was thinking. "Aro thinks that we could go walk around the area and see if we can find her anywhere," he said finally. "He wants us to do it this Saturday."

"Oh."

That meant I wouldn't get to see Eli until next weekend. I let the sadness wash over me for a minute before straightening myself out and pushing it away. I had to make the sacrifice and do whatever Aro needed of me this weekend. If she was near and saw us, maybe we could end the whole ordeal and I could finally have Eli home with us again--where he belonged. The happiness that surged through me with the thought of him running around the house and curling up on the couch next to Edward and me far outweighed the sadness I felt at missing one weekend with him. I could handle it.

"Are you okay?" he asked tentatively.

I smiled. "Fine. Just thinking that if they catch her this weekend it will all be over and we can have him back home with us."

He cupped my face with his hands. "I would love for him to be back home with us." His eyes held an excitement in them, even though his face was somber. "I was thinking we could push the trip to Vegas off until New Year's. Everyone would still be able to come with us but we could stay for four days instead of two. Maybe by then it would be a celebration trip."

"That sounds great," I said honestly.

"Yeah?" I nodded. "I'll talk to Emmett about it. Are you hungry?"

"Starving. I didn't get a chance to eat lunch today." It suddenly dawned on me what he had done. "Did you cook?"

"I did," he said proudly.

He took my hand and led me into the dining room, where I was met with the soft glow of candlelight. I gasped as I looked down at the table and saw dozens of ivory candles scattered all over the table. In the center of the table was the biggest bouquet of lavender roses I had ever seen. Surrounding the flowers was the food--a deep dish full of chicken parmesan, a bowl of angel hair pasta tossed in marinara sauce, a leafy, green salad, and a basket full of bread. He had put out two place settings and had a bottle of merlot uncorked and waiting to be poured.

I felt my eyes tear up. "How did you...? When did you...? Why...?" I stopped trying to make sense of the surprise.

He turned me around so that I was facing him and ran his fingers along my jaw. "I've been such a dick lately," he sighed. "You deserve so much more than I've been giving you, a ghrá. I've let Jane get under my skin and have been such a fucking idiot with the way I've been handling it." He took a deep breath. "I'm sorry."

He wiped the tears away from my eyes and watched me anxiously. "And here I was going to come in here and yell at you tonight about the way you've been acting."

He laughed in shock. "Well, let's hear it."

I chewed on my lip nervously. "Okay. I was basically just going to tell you needed to get a grip and stop being such a fucking emo."

"Emo?" he chuckled. "Go on."

"And that even though it killed me to do it, if you were going to keep ignoring me, I..." I took a shaky breath, "I was going to leave."

The pain of my words flashed across his features. He gathered me up in his arms and exhaled sharply. "I'm so sorry, Bella. I completely understand but...please don't go. I don't think I could handle it if you left me. I need you, so much, baby," he said, heartbroken.

I pulled back so I could see him. "Promise that you won't be doing anything like that again," I pleaded.

"Never again, Bella." He motioned to the table. "This may not make up for the way I've been acting, but I promise you I will spend the rest of my life trying. I love you."

I nodded. "I love you, too. Even when you are a prick," I smirked. "You make it extremely hard to stay mad at you, you know."

"I'll keep that in mind." He gave me a small, sideways smile. "Want to eat before it gets cold?"

I looked at the gorgeous spread and grinned widely. "Yes. This looks and smells great. How did you do this?"

He pulled my chair out for me before sitting in his own seat. "I've been watching you when you cook. I probably didn't do as good of a job as you would, but I didn't burn it." He stopped for a beat. "And I used the appropriate pans."

I laughed, thinking of the bland chicken he'd tried to cook on a cookie sheet. "Yes, you did."

He served us both, carefully moving around the candles. I skipped over the salad and bread and cut into the chicken, almost giddy with excitement while he sat back and waited nervously for my verdict.

I sighed as the flavors burst in my mouth. I carefully chewed and swallowed before giving him a large smile. "There's hope for you yet, Cullen. This is so good," I said, taking another bite.

"Well, you know. I just needed to learn how things work in the kitchen. Obviously, it comes naturally," he deadpanned, gesturing to my plate with his hand.

I giggled. "Are you getting cocky on me again?"

"Not even close, Swan. I'm shocked as shit I didn't burn it all." He grinned crookedly. "And if I'm being completely honest, I had to call Esme once or twice and make sure I was doing something right."

"So, the truth comes out," I teased. "Just once or twice?" I asked, raising my brows.

He took a bite of pasta. "Maybe more. I don't know. I might've lost count," he mumbled around his food, making me laugh again.

We continued to talk and laugh all through dinner, slowly getting back to our version of normal. I finished every last bite on my plate, stuffing myself so full I thought Edward would have to roll me out of the dining room.

Edward poured me another glass of wine and got up. "Don't move. I'll be right back."

I took a sip and nodded, wondering what exactly he had up his sleeve. I finished half of my wine and finally couldn't sit still anymore. I got up and started taking the leftover food to the kitchen so I could put it away. I sat the chicken down on the counter and turned to get the rest of the food, but was stopped by Edward's tall, muscular form towering over me.

"I'm pretty sure I told you not to move," he said, feigning thoughtfulness.

"You did. But I thought I'd put away the leftovers while you did...whatever it was you were doing."

He rolled his eyes. "What part of _I'm making my shittiness up to you_ did you not understand earlier?" He grabbed my hands. "Come on. I have more planned."

"But I-" I started, turning my head back towards the kitchen while he drug me behind him.

"Shh," he said, cutting me off.

He led me to our bathroom, where I was again stunned to incoherence. There were candles all over the vanity and window ledge above the bathtub. The tub itself was full of fragrant, steaming water and the ledge was littered with lavender rose petals.

"I...what's this for?" I finally managed to ask when I'd gotten my wits back.

"You _never_ take time out for yourself. You're always doing something for Eli, me, work. So, I thought you might like a night to be pampered." He looked at me nervously. "I'm taking Alice's word on all of this so if I miss a step or some shit, just tell me."

"O...Okay."

He nodded once. "Now, strip," he said devilishly. "I'll go finish cleaning up the dining room and then I'll join you."

He stood there, waiting patiently for me to take my clothes off. I finally managed to pull my head out of the clouds, because I was in a serious daze, and slowly took off my clothes. He pulled one of my hair clips out of his pocket and I quickly twisted my hair up and secured it before he helped me step into the tub. I gasped quietly when my feet were met with the wonderfully hot water.

"Too hot?" he asked worriedly.

"No, no. It feels wonderful," I said breathlessly.

I slowly laid down and let out an embarrassingly loud moan as soon as the soothing water enveloped me. It had been so long since I'd had the time to relax and soak in a tub, I'd forgotten how good it feels.

Edward reached over and pushed the button to turn on the jets. The water bubbled up around me as the jets came on, rushing the massaging streams of water all across my body. I closed my eyes and melted against the tub.

Edward's hands moved to my neck, propping me up and slipping a rolled towel under my neck. I felt him hover over me as he leaned down and kissed my forehead once before quietly leaving the room. I opened one of my eyes and saw that he was really gone, and I instantly felt guilty for not thanking him before he left.

I closed both of my eyes again and let my mind blank out as I breathed in the steam that was now surrounding me. I'm not sure if I fell asleep or just zoned out, because the next thing I knew, Edward had slipped in the tub on the opposite side and was shifting my feet so that they were resting on his thighs.

I jumped, startled, and threw my eyes open. "Jesus," I gasped.

"Did you fall asleep or something?" he asked in amusement.

"I must have."

He got a handful of body scrub out of the container on the ledge and started rubbing my feet. My eyes widened, because this was completely out of character for Edward and he chuckled softly as he focused on the balls of my feet.

"I told you I'm just doing what Alice told me to do. I have a specific list to follow. Apparently, I'm supposed to rub this shit all over your body. Which trust me, sounds fucking great on my end, but if you don't want me to, just tell me and I'll stop."

It actually felt pretty nice.

"No, I don't want you to stop." I sounded bashful, which was absurd given the fact that I was naked in the bathtub with Edward.

He scrubbed every inch of my body, leaving my skin feeling soft and smooth. And a little greasy. I voiced my opinion to Edward, who took his finger and ran it down my arm lightly, grimacing when he felt exactly what I was talking about.

"Well, I knew I bought the body wash that went with this shit for a reason."

He turned off the jets before he grabbed the body wash and the loufa he bought with it and began soaping up my body, ridding me of the film from the body scrub. Satisfied that I was now squeaky clean, he wrapped his long arms around me and pulled me against him. He exhaled slowly against my neck, sending chills down my spine. His hands slowly roamed over my body, gently rubbing and caressing my stomach and thighs but was careful to not touch where I was beginning to ache for him.

He brought one of his hands up to scrub his face. "I smell like a fucking girl," he laughed.

I turned my head around and breathed the scent of his skin in. "You smell good. Like the perfect mixture of you and me," I sighed.

"Think this is what our kids will smell like?" he asked curiously.

"Mmm, I hope so." It was mouth watering.

I bounced with his silent laughter as he held my hand up in front of us. "You're all wrinkled. Time to get out," he said lightly.

I groaned and pushed myself against him. "I don't want to," I complained.

He managed to stand up without knocking me over and looked down at his dick, standing up at attention. "Well, obviously I don't either but I have other shit I'm supposed to be doing to you before I can take care of that for us."

I pursed my lips and knit my brows unhappily. "Can we skip it?"

"No can do, love. I think you'll like what's next." I groaned again. "Come on," he said, pulling me out of the tub and wrapping a towel around me. "Get that sexy ass of yours in the bed."

"But I thought..." I trailed off in confusion.

"I still need you to lie down for the next part. The bed's the most comfortable place for you. Unless you want to lie down on the cold tile?" he asked, cocking his brow.

"Well, damn," I muttered, disappointed.

He shook his head and smiled. "Go. I'll be right there." He gave me a quick kiss and pulled back before I could get carried away.

I went and laid down on the bed, swinging my legs up behind me impatiently while I waited for him. He finally came over to the bed and threw a bottle of lotion down before he crawled over me.

"I have been specifically instructed to rub this into every part of your skin," he said huskily. "So, I thought I'd do it with a massage."

"A massage?" I asked gleefully.

"See, now that right there just makes me really pissed off at myself. This should be something I do for you enough that it's not some big fucking deal." He took a deep breath. "Like I said, I'm going to spend the rest of my life making it up to you."

I turned my torso so that I could see him. "You're not a shitty boyfriend or fiancé."

He looked at me incredulously. "How's that?"

"Well, for one, you always make sure to compliment me. And you always tell me how you feel. You show me every day how much you love me just by the way you look at me. You may not take me out on romantic dates night after night, but you did something even better. You included Eli in all your plans with me, down to your proposal, when you didn't have to. You shifted into this role of being Eli's step-father and my husband without even saying the words 'I do'." I took a deep breath, trying to keep my composure. "I don't need flowers and serenades and whatever else is claimed to be romantic. You are perfect for me because you don't try to do that shit all the time. It makes the times that you do even more special."

Before I knew what was happening, his lips were on mine, moving fervently and making me lightheaded. He pulled away and looked down on me with smoldering eyes.

"And that is why I love you. Now, turn back around and relax. I'm going to do this as quickly as possible without half-assing it because now all I can think about is having you writhe underneath me and scream my name," he said hoarsely.

"Oh, Jesus," I whispered, turning around.

"Tell me about it," he muttered.

I heard his audible swallow as he squeezed the lotion in the palm of his hand. His hands rubbed over my back gently in smooth, strong strokes before he began kneading at the muscles in my neck and shoulders, moving down my back slowly. He got to the small of my back and fanned his fingers out, pressing down with his thumbs as he came back up my spine.

He came back down again and ran his hands over the swell of my ass, eliciting a soft moan from me.

"Bella." His voice sounded almost unhinged. "Don't do that yet."

"Sorry," I whispered.

He paused for a moment, tensely lingering at my ass before finally removing his hands from me completely. He squeezed more lotion into his hands and moved down my body, capturing my foot in his hands and massaging it before working his way to my calf, manipulating my muscle with his long fingers and then sinfully making his way up to my thigh.

His hands stroked the back of my thigh slowly, inching his way towards the inside each time. The closer his fingers came to the wetness that was now gathering between my legs, the heavier my breathing became.

He stopped abruptly and moved back down to my other foot, repeating the process on the other leg. By the time he reached my thigh, I was wound so tight, one quick flick of his wrist would send me unraveling--spiraling into oblivion.

In an unconscious movement, I wiggled my ass at him, trying to have him touch that one part of my body that pulsated with need for him. I managed to graze his thumb over my slit and moaned at the loss when he brought his hand back.

In one lithe movement, he had spun me around and was now hovering dangerously on top of me. His eyes were dark with desire, burning behind the surface, and his nostrils flared out with each harsh intake of air.

He trailed his index finger over my jaw, coming down my neck and then over my shoulder, leaving a wake of fire across my skin. I mewled at the sensation just before his lips came crashing down on me, kissing me so feverishly, I knew they were going to be bruised.

He bit down on my lip as he pulled away and moved his hand to my breast, pebbling my nipple with his fingers and making me arch up into him.

He ducked his head down, licking over my collarbone. "I can't..." he murmured against my skin.

"So don't," I gasped, uncaring of what he actually couldn't do.

He groaned and brought his hand down to my slit, running his long fingers up the slippery wetness.

"Fuck, baby. You're so wet." He plunged his fingers inside me. "I don't think I can finish the massage," he said desperately.

"So don't," I repeated, pushing my hips into his fingers.

He hooked his fingers inside me and rubbed his thumb over my clit, causing me to come almost instantly.

He took his fingers out from in between my legs and positioned himself just outside my entrance, pausing.

He fixed his gaze on me. "I'm sorry, Bella. I love you," he said roughly.

"I love you," I said in a rush. "Please," I begged wantonly. "Please, Edward."

I squirmed underneath him, trying to get him inside me and only causing him to chuckle darkly.

"I told you I was going to have your writhing underneath me." He smiled evilly. "Now you just need to scream my name."

He effortlessly thrust into me and we both moaned loudly when he was fully inside me. He rolled his hips, starting a steady rhythm. My hips met his each time he pushed back in, and it wasn't long before my muscles clenched up around him.

I needed more, so I pulled him tighter against me, silently urging him to go faster--harder. He read my body instantly and began pounding into me so forcefully, I began scooting towards the edge of the bed.

He gripped on to the side of the bed with one hand and grabbed my waist with the other, steadying us as he continued to slam into me. The sounds of our skin slapping as he drove into me echoed around us. He shifted his hips and thrust into me again, hitting that one special spot in my body and starting one of the longest, most overpowering orgasms of my life.

My legs trembled, shuddering violently as he continued to pummel me. The tightness of my muscles spread out into my stomach. He grunted and groaned as I squeezed down on his dick and his head dropped down to my breast. He sucked furiously on my nipple and then bit down, causing me to scream out unintelligibly as the blinding force of my orgasm came over me.

I arched up into him as my muscles convulsed around him. "Edward!" I shouted, gritting my teeth.

He rammed into me one last time and roared my name as he came, twitching inside me.

"Oh, fuck," he gasped, laying his head on my chest and listening to my heavily thumping heart.

I couldn't respond. I was still trying to catch my breath and focus my now blurry vision.

After a while, he raised his head and smirked. "Want to finish the massage?"

I shook my head sleepily. "No, I want to just go to sleep now," I mumbled.

"That good, huh?" he asked, grinning crookedly.

I nodded. "I feel like jelly." Every inch of my body had turned to mush.

He kissed my stomach. "Maybe next time we won't get so distracted."

"I doubt that," I said with a yawn. "Maybe there shouldn't actually _be_ a next time."

He crawled up my body and reached out to turn off the light, then snuggled up behind me, draping the covers over us.

"You might be right." He stopped. "Or maybe we should save the massage for special occasions. I fucking loved the result."

I giggled sleepily. "Shut up, please. Trying to sleep here."

He chuckled and kissed the back of my neck before taking the much displaced clip out of my hair and running his fingers through it.

"Good night," he whispered.

"'Night," I mumbled back.

******************************

I woke up to the sound of the alarm clock the next morning and stretched my now extremely relaxed muscles and then frowned. Edward had woke me up at one to have sex by getting in between my legs and licking my inner thighs until I came back to consciousness. And then again at four by playing with my breasts. I smiled at the thought. It had been a while since he'd done anything like that.

I curled up against Edward and willed for the alarm to shut itself off and not be Thursday. The comfort and warmth of our bed was too inviting to leave.

Edward reached over and turned off the alarm, groaning, and then flung his arm around me, hugging me to him tighter.

"I don't want to get up," I grumbled.

I felt his smile against my shoulder before he placed a peck on it. "Too bad. We both have to go in to work."

"I know," I groaned, snuggling even closer to him. "But I don't want to. Can't I call in sick?" I faked a cough.

"You could," he said thoughtfully, "but then you'd be home by yourself all day. I have two big surgeries I've got to do today."

"What are they?"

"I've got a hepatocellular carcinoma to remove and then I've got to assist on a kidney transplant today," he said excitedly.

"Except for the kidney transplant I have no idea what you're talking about," I admitted.

"Liver tumor," he clarified.

"Why didn't you just say that?" I giggled.

"Because it's not just a tumor. It's a malignant tumor. And the cause of this guy's was because he was a fucking alcoholic and has cirrhosis."

"Oh." I thought for a second. "Has it, um, metas...whatever?"

"Metastasized?" I nodded. "Didn't look like it on the scan. But I'll know for sure when I open him up."

I sighed in disappointment. "Guess we'd better get up then. You've got to go save lives and shit."

He laughed and hugged me to him one last time before releasing me. We both quickly took turns in the shower, because it was impossible for us to take a shower together without mauling one another, and got ready for work. He left first, kissing me on his way out the door and making me promise to set the alarm behind him.

Once he had pulled out of the driveway and the garage door had shut completely, I set the alarm and went back to eating my breakfast.

I finished and grabbed my stuff for the day and hopped in my car, making sure the light was blinking on the alarm as I shut the door, indicating that it was activated.

I drove to work, muttering and cursing under my breath at the slow crawl of morning rush-hour traffic and found myself getting angrier and angrier at Laurent for making me come in an hour later than usual. Normally, I got to the restaurant before rush hour even began, thus beating the thousands of cars I was trying to weave in and out of.

I checked my rearview mirror and saw that the cop that had been following me had gotten stuck at the intersection I'd just crossed. I briefly thought about pulling over and waiting for him, but brushed the thought off after deciding that it would take even longer to get through traffic if I had to try to merge back into it.

I pulled into the back lot of the restaurant and grabbed my stuff together and went inside. I opened my bag to get my coat out and realized I'd left it in the back seat of the car. I saw Jessica on my way back outside and flagged her down.

"I'm here, I just forgot my damn coat in the car," I told her.

"No problem. If Laurent says anything I'll let him know," she said cheerfully.

"Thanks!" I called as I walked out the door.

I unlocked the car and opened the back door, looking for the coat. I saw it smashed underneath the driver's seat and had to stretch to get it. I finally managed to snag it with my fingertips and stood up, holding the coat victoriously.

I moved to shut the door, but felt an arm wrap around my neck, squeezing me tightly. I went to do the maneuver Emmett had taught me, but felt a sharp sting at the side of my neck and warmth spreading out from the prick.

"Where's your white knight now?" an angelic voice whispered in my ear.

My body slumped forward and I saw a needle being thrown to the ground as my attacker grabbed my waist, bracing me.

_Jane._

My mind screamed at the thought and I struggled to open my mouth and yell for help, but no sound came out. I tried to desperately stay afloat but the weight of the drug was pulling me under, dragging me into the black void of nothingness.

Everything went blurry and I tried one last time to scream again before the darkness completely consumed me.

***~***

**Sorry for the cliffie...don't kill me**


	32. Chapter 32

**OK, I apologize for last chapter's cliffie and apologize ahead of time for this chapter...cause it doesn't get any better. I tried to keep going, but it was already at 5800 words, and I was barely into the confrontation. Now, while I wouldn't mind putting out a 10000 word chapter, it wouldn't mesh well with the format so far, given the fact that each chapter has been between 4800-6200 words. And I try not to be overly verbose. So...yeah. But if it makes you feel better, I've got half of Ch 33 written :) Just gonna do a bit of research to make sure I get Jane's actions perfected and then I'll finish it. **

**If you're curious as to what Jane used to subdue Bella, it was Methohexital--an extremely fast acting sedative. If injected directly into the vein it takes 2-5 seconds to render the person unconscious. If injected in the skin, it can take anywhere from 30s-15m. In this case, I imagined Jane injecting it directly into Bella's carotid artery...that wonderful artery in the neck where you can feel your pulse...either side, take your pic. It works the same either way. I had originally pictured it like in _Dexter_ (if you haven't seen it, you should) but he supposedly uses ****Etorphine Hydrochloride, which is a large animal sedative and extremely toxic to humans...like, you need Narcan or something similar to counteract the drug. Not too realistic or safe for Bella.**

**Thanks for the reviews and as promised, this chapter is EPOV...poor guy.**

***~***

Chapter 32

**Edward**

If there was one thing I knew for certain, in the midst of all this fucking madness, it was that I had done nothing in my life to earn Isabella Swan. She was kind, caring, compassionate, and strong. Not to mention forgiving.

I went to work yesterday, in the same foul mood I'd been in for the last three days, and had what could only be called the biggest fucking epiphany of my life.

Standing there, elbow deep into an exploratory surgery, I realized how much of a fucking fool I was. That even though I'd basically come to terms with Tanya's oblivious involvement with Jane, I was still letting each and every new piece of the puzzle affect me in such a profound way, that I had distanced myself from everyone--Bella included. Every time we were given new information regarding Jane, I got angrier and angrier. Angry with Jane for being a crazed stalker. Angry with Aro for not finding her any faster. And angry at myself for not being able to take care of the situation, protecting Bella and Eli like I knew I should.

I had to get a grip. I was not only losing Bella and Eli, but I was losing myself as well. And with that realization, the calm washed over me. We would get through this, safely; happily. As long as I didn't continue to fuck it up. I was the luckiest asshole on the planet to have found someone who loved me just as I loved her--so deeply, so truly and irrevocably, that she didn't look at me one day and say, 'You know what? This isn't fucking worth it. See ya around'. Because honestly, that's what a lot of us would have done given the circumstances.

So, I spent the rest of the day trying to figure out a way to apologize to her. I wasn't good at this sappy, romantic shit. I was completely fucking clueless. Which pissed me off more than I cared to admit. I thought of everything Bella loved in life and came up with one thing that seemed perfect. The old saying that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach seemed exceptionally true for Bella. She loved food. The best thing I could come up with was to try--try being the operative word--to make her dinner. And do everything I could to make her see in that one moment, that I would do anything for her. That she was the most important thing in my life.

Of course, I couldn't do it on my own, because of my aforementioned cluelessness. So, I enlisted the help of Esme and Alice, who gave me a simple recipe for chicken parmesan and told me everything I needed to do--by an e-mailed list--to pamper the fuck out of Isabella Swan.

I drove home and got a phone call from Aro, explaining they had gotten a break with the cell number and were planning a stake out at the billing address he'd gotten. The news caused the weight to lift off my shoulders and left me feeling light, almost girlishly giddy. We were so close--almost close enough to reach out and fucking touch Jane.

I wanted nothing more than to yank her hair out when I was finally able to grab hold of her.

I got everything ready and was anxious as hell when she got home. I heard her calling for me and couldn't stop the excitement from showing on my face. I had good news to share and a night full of plans for her.

I was surprised when Bella said she had planned to yell at me, but I wasn't fucking ignorant. I knew it would come eventually. Bella was a lot of things--but a doormat was not one of them. It was one of the things I admired most about her--her desire to do anything for someone she cared for, but not let them take advantage of her at the same time.

I spent the whole night making love to her. Even though it was hot and sweaty, fast and hard, I poured every emotion I felt into it, reveling in her beauty and worshiping the goddess that was before me--the piece of myself I'd been missing all this time.

I drove to work fucking thankful that we had gotten back to normal. We were our typically playful, loving selves by the end of the night.

I should have known my joy wouldn't last.

I got to the hospital and parked in my usual space, walking briskly to the building with my hands shoved in my coat pockets only to skid to a stop at the door.

"Jacob?" I asked, bewildered.

He looked at me, with only what could be described as a torn, painful expression.

"Jesus fuck, what's the matter with you?" I asked, walking over to him.

I looked him over carefully, noticing the deep, bruise-like shadows under his eyes, the haggard, worn appearance of his face, and the days old scruff that covered his cheeks. He look like he hadn't shaved or slept since we left Seattle.

"Got a minute?" he asked nervously.

I glanced down at my watch. "I've got to scrub-in in just over an hour. Come on."

I led him to the café and ordered us both coffee before sitting us down at the free table in the corner.

I took a sip and looked at him evenly. "Talk."

He looked away, looking over at the door pensively for so long, I thought I was just going to sit here and drink my coffee in silence. When he finally spoke, his words came out in a rush.

"I'm moving back to Forks."

I groaned inwardly. Talk about a selfish fucking moron. "Why?" I asked flatly.

"I don't belong here, Cullen. It's not my home." He scowled.

"You've lived here for six months. How do you know?"

He sighed. "I realized it when I went to Seattle. I miss it. I miss the color green. I miss my friends and even Billy."

I could feel the anger boiling in my blood. "You don't think you'll miss Eli when you go?"

"Of course I will." He looked at me dejectedly. "But he won't miss me."

"The fuck he won't! You're his father, Jacob. How the hell could he not miss you?" I glowered at him.

"Please," he scoffed. "He has you, Bella, and your whole family here. He's not going to miss me."

"This is not because you're missing the stupid fucking color green or your friends or your father," I said harshly. "That has got to be the most insane reason I have ever heard to go back to Washington. For fuck's sake! There's green in Chicago! Maybe only five months worth, but come on!"

There had to be something else. I refused to believe that Jacob would just walk away from Eli to move back to Forks. He may be a selfish, inconsiderate prick, but he loved his son.

He cleared his throat. "How did you know Bella was the one?"

I eyed him speculatively for a moment, trying to figure out why he was asking me this. Finally, I gave up and decided to answer him honestly.

"At first, I couldn't stop thinking about her. She managed to be in every one of my thoughts. I'd never been like that with anyone until her. I wanted to know everything about her. Every small, miniscule detail, every story from her past, every freckle; every scar. She completely captivated me after one day and it was like without even realizing it, I'd upended my entire world so that it revolved around her.

"And now...it's like...it's like I can't function unless I know she's there. Like there was this part of me that I'd been missing all my life and she was the one to fill the void. Without sounding stupid about it, she completed me.

"And we have fire, Jake. So much fucking passion. Right from the very beginning there was this chemistry between us that just seemed to palpitate in the air around us. I can't get enough of her. I don't think I ever will. She's like a fucking siren call to me. One look could bring me to my knees. She's more than anything I could have ever dreamed of." I stopped. "I don't know how else to describe it except that when I picture my life, twenty years from now, she's in it. She's by my side every step of the way. I don't see anyone but her anymore."

"You look at other girls, but you don't see their faces," he said quietly. "Not anymore."

"Yes, that's exactly it." My forehead creased. "Wait, how do you know? Is that what you feel for Bella?"

"No, not Bella."

_Thank fucking God._

"Someone else?" I inquired.

He nodded. "I grew up with the girl. Hated the girl. Then, I saw her in Seattle and everything changed. Now, she's...she's perfect. Completely unlike Bella. I can't get her out of my head. We had one night together and now it's like I can't be without her. Like she's pulling me to her. I've talked to her every day for hours, but it's still not enough."

"I know exactly how you feel." I gave him a small smile. "What's her name?"

"Leah." He smiled ruefully. "God, Bella's going to shit when she hears about it. She thinks Leah hates her."

"Why's that?"

He laughed once. "Leah was always a bitch to Bella. She told me she was jealous of Bella because she had my heart and didn't deserve it." His face suddenly clouded over. "What do I do?"

I sighed. "Can't this Leah person move out here?"

He shook his head. "No, her Dad's sick. Bad heart. She and her mom have to bust their asses to pay the medical bills and keep her brother in college."

I frowned. "I don't know what you want from me here, Jacob. We don't necessarily get along and yet here you are at my work asking me if what? If you should leave Eli behind and be with Leah? Because I don't think you should. Frankly, I think you're being pretty fucking selfish about it. How could you even contemplate leaving that amazing little boy behind for one second? There's no way in hell I could."

"I don't want to leave him behind, Cullen," he said in exasperation. "I just wanted...I guess I needed to know what I'm feeling is real."

"Obviously it is." He nodded. "So, then what are you going to do?"

"I'm moving back to Forks," he answered in determination. "And I'll talk to Bella about seeing him on holidays and summer vacations. He's my son. I can't _not_ see him." He stood up to leave. "Thanks for hearing me out, Cullen. You didn't have to."

"You're welcome," I said dully.

As I watched him leave, my stomach twisted in knots. I didn't want Jacob around. It was much easier when Bella and I didn't have to deal with him. Eli had a family with the two of us, he didn't necessarily need Jacob Black in his life. But then I thought about that smile that lit up his face every time Jacob came to pick him up for the weekend and my heart plummeted. Eli would grow up feeling as if his father abandoned him for Leah, for any kids he might someday have with this woman, even if he did stay somewhat involved. And that was something he didn't deserve.

I grabbed my now empty cup and threw it in the trash and headed up to the surgical floor. I changed into my scrubs and checked the board before going in and talking to the patient, explaining post-op to him and answering any questions he had for me.

I had some time to waste, so I decided to catch up on checking the residents' and interns' charting. Before I knew it, it was time to scrub-in.

I put on my cap, got washed up, and slipped on a surgical gown. I went into the OR and had the nurse put my gloves on and then put on a mask before walking over to the patient that was lying unconscious on the table. I asked for a scalpel and felt the familiar instrument being placed in my hand.

I got ready to cut into his skin and stopped. Something felt wrong...off. I checked his vitals, everything was in the normal parameters. I shook the strange feeling of dread that had crept over me and finally pressed the scalpel into his abdomen, carefully wiping the blood that oozed out from the wound.

I worked quickly, focusing on cutting and cauterizing the layers of skin, fat, and muscle until I finally got down to his sick liver. I could see the carcinoma clearly, it's long tentacles wrapping themselves around the tissue, like a rapidly growing weed, infesting itself into his liver; slowly taking over and killing it. He was extremely lucking it was his liver, the one internal organ that could regenerate itself.

I carefully looked around the abdominal cavity, looking for any signs of the tumor metastasizing and attaching its spawn to any of his other organs and stopped abruptly as the phone rang. The feeling of dread came over me again. It was like liquid nitrogen was injected straight into my veins, freezing me in place. One small move would make my entire being shatter.

"Dr. Cullen?" I looked over at Heidi apprehensively. "Your sister's on the phone."

"Put it on speaker." My voice cracked.

"Edward?" Alice sounded frantic.

"Al? What's wrong? What happened?"

"I don't know!" She cried into the phone. "I got a call from Jessica! She said Bella's gone!"

The fear flashed through my body, causing me to break out into a cold sweat.

"What do you mean she's _gone_?" I yelled.

"She went back outside to get her coat and never came back!" she sobbed. "Her car's there, but she's gone! She's not at the hospital with you, is she?"

"No," I croaked.

The realization spread through my body like wildfire, ripping through my body with incredible speed, burning me from the inside out.

_Jane._

I let out a strangled cry and dropped the scalpel on the floor, listening to its loud clatter as it hit and bounced on the ground. I stared and the man in front of me, watching his organs turn into a bloodied, jumbled mess that I could no longer make sense of.

"Edward!" Alice screamed on the line.

I blinked once and felt the tears spill over and fall down my face in torrential streams. "Who else have you called?" I gritted my teeth, trying to control the anguished flames that lapped at my brain.

"No one. Just you," she sniffled.

I squeezed my eyes closed. _Just a little more._ "Call Emmett. Have him call Aro and Charlie. Make sure they know I'm coming straight to the station."

"Okay," she said timidly. "Edward, we'll find her. Right?"

"We'd better," I said between my teeth.

I heard the click of the phone being disconnected and watched Heidi hit the button to end the now dead connection. I stood there, motionlessly struggling with the raging inferno that was destroying every inch of me. It rose and fell with each heartbeat, consuming me. Each pulsing beat blazed through me, threatening to bring me to my knees with the unspeakable agony that tore through me.

"Dr. Cullen!" My head snapped up to see Heidi standing directly in front of me now, on the other side of the patient.

"Get someone in here to take my place," I whispered, too miserable to speak any louder.

"But the patient's on the table! Open!" she protested.

I held up my trembling hands in between us. "Does it look like I can cut into this man's liver without butchering it? Get someone in here, NOW!" I roared.

I heard her sharp intake of air as she backed up a step before turning and heading towards the phone. She talked hastily to the person on the other end, clearly not happy with the situation, but I was beyond comprehending her words, her reaction. The scorching flames continued to lick at my skin from the inside, burning hotter and hotter.

"Oh, God. Oh, God," I whispered.

Time seemed immeasurable. There was only the fire, bringing me to the brink of insanity.

I was going to die without her.

The chief burst into the room and stormed over to me, standing in my line of sight, but I couldn't see him. I could only see the flicker of the fire behind my eyes; the glowing red and orange devouring me.

"Dr. Cullen!" he snapped. "What is the meaning of this?!"

The rational part of my brain kicked into overdrive, bringing me back to my senses. I had to find her. I had to get her back home safely. I couldn't stand here and let the pain control me.

The inferno died down to a dull, fiery roar, settling in my chest where my heart once was.

"My sister just called. My fiancée was kidnapped, sir." I shot a deadly look over to Heidi. "Or did Heidi forget to mention that detail?" I hissed.

His eyes widened and I imagined his mouth was unhinged behind his mask. "Go! Get out of here. I'll finish the operation."

I wasted no time responding. In a flash, I was at the door and throwing my gloves and gown into the bin. I sped down the hallway and took the stairs two at a time, not even bothering with the elevators. I got outside and sprinted to my Volvo, never so thankful to have bought the C30 before in my life.

I threw myself in my car and put the key in the ignition, throwing it in reverse, and backing out of the space. I hit the clutch, slamming the car back in first, and gunned it. The tires squealed before it finally gripped and shot forward, earning cursory glares and shouts of the pedestrians around me.

I raced through the city, running lights and weaving through traffic, until I was at the station. I didn't even bother to pull into a spot, just parked outside the door and ran inside.

I may have even left the car idling.

I got to Aro's department and came face to face with my entire family, sniffling and pacing anxiously around the room. I listened to their gasps and soft whimpers as they saw me, only giving them a quick wave as I brushed past them. There was no way I could speak to any of them yet.

The fire inside me swelled with just the thought.

Aro was nowhere to be found, so I plopped myself down in his chair and waited. I was not going to leave without knowing he was going to do everything he could to find Bella.

I didn't have to wait long. Within five minutes, Aro took hurried steps in my direction, barking commands on his phone as he held our file in his hands.

He looked up and saw me sitting there. His eyes widened at my appearance, and he shut the phone without another word.

"Do I look that bad?" I asked brusquely.

"Like someone doused you with gasoline and lit the match," he said somberly.

"Well, what do you know. That's exactly what this fucking feels like."

"I'm sorry, Edward. Jeff, the officer following Bella, said that they got separated at a light on her way to work this morning and she didn't stop. She probably didn't think it was necessary."

I nodded. I didn't give a shit how it happened. "Regardless, what do we do now?"

"_We_ do nothing. I'm in the process of sending a team out to the address we got yesterday and I've also sent out a few officers to the places you've seen her as well as your home. We'll find her."

"When are you sending the team out?" I asked coldly.

"Twilight," he answered.

My eyes bugged out and I jumped out of my seat. "That's over four hours from now!" I shouted.

"It's the soonest we can do this safely." He looked at me evenly.

"It's not good enough! She could-" I choked on my words. The fire raged inside me as I struggled to get them out. "She could have killed her by then," I cried.

He opened his mouth to answer me, but was interrupted by another officer calling him over urgently.

"I'll be right back," he sighed.

I stood there, at a loss of what to do next. Every instinct was pulling me out the door and into the city to find Bella. But I had no idea where to begin.

I threw myself back in the chair, disgusted with the waiting game I was forced to play. I rocked back and forth as I sat there and felt the fire grow, taking me over yet again.

I silently screamed in agony as the flames desecrated me. I felt like I should be a pile of ashes by now. I couldn't live through this. If she didn't-

I stopped the thought short and laid my head on Aro's desk. I closed my eyes and concentrated on taking deep, even breaths. The pain was so intense I was on the verge of hyperventilating.

I managed to smother the fire enough to think clearly again. Waiting was no longer an option. I _would_ find her. I stood up and started towards the door, intent on scouring the entire city until I found her, when something caught my eye.

I looked down at the file laying open on the desk and saw the scribbled address that Aro had gotten from the cell company. I glanced over at him and saw him absorbed in the conversation with the other officer. Satisfied that he wouldn't see me, I opened my phone and plugged the address in my notes. I threw another look over at Aro to make sure he wasn't facing this direction and then went out to where my family was waiting.

"Edward!" Esme cried as soon as she saw me. "What are we going to do?" she whimpered.

I had no words for her.

I pulled her into a tight hug and let my mother comfort me for a second. I pulled away before the smoldering heat could burn out of control again.

I turned to Emmett. "You're coming with me," I said sharply.

"Where are we going?" He eyed me skeptically.

"To find Bella," I said with conviction.

I didn't wait for his answer. I spun around and rushed out the door. I could hear his heavy footsteps pounding the floor behind me, but I was too wrapped up in my plan for vengeance. If Bella was there, if she was harmed in any way, Jane was dead.

I'd rip her throat out if she hurt her.

We got in the car and I sped out into the street again. I gripped the steering wheel so tightly, it creaked and groaned in protest. I made a sharp turn and started out to the interstate, throwing Emmett against the door with a resounding thud.

"Fuck, Cullen! Slow down!" he shouted, rubbing the side of his head.

"Got your gun?" I asked, ignoring his request. He just stared at me blankly. "Got your gun?" I repeated, louder.

"Yeah." He pulled it out of the holster. "Where are we going?" I held up my phone and showed him the address I'd gotten off Aro's desk. "Fuck, that's the address Aro got!"

"Yep. It's our best shot at finding her."

He nodded once, his face quickly becoming menacing. "What's the plan?"

My brows knit. "Get Bella?"

"No, I mean, what can I do?" He checked the clip in his gun. "With this?"

"Shoot her ass. I don't give a fuck. I'm through with being the caring ex-boyfriend of a psychopath. She fucked up, Em. She took Bella. I'm not letting that go." I clenched my teeth and groaned as the fire took over my body again.

Emmett's hand clasped my shoulder. "We'll get Belly Bean. She'll be fine. And don't forget, she knows how to handle herself now. She can hold her own."

I nodded.

We kept silent for the rest of the drive. I focused all my energy on getting us there as quickly as possible without wrecking the Volvo and Emmett seemed to be working himself up for whatever we were about to face. I didn't even want to think about it. The plan was get in, beat the living fuck out of whoever stood between my Bella and me and get out. Simple, quick, easy.

If only.

We pulled up to a condemned brick house in the center of Englewood. I idled at the curb for a moment, trying to see any movement from inside, but couldn't. Every fucking window was boarded up.

I swung back out into the road and parked two blocks over so that the glaringly obvious Volvo wasn't parked outside the building, alerting Jane to my presence if she wasn't inside.

I got out of the car and pulled my nine millimeter out from under the seat, checking the clip to make sure it was fully loaded and then cocked it so there was a bullet waiting in the chamber. I went to stick it in the waist of my pants and realized I still had my scrubs on.

"Son of a bitch," I said, rolling my eyes at myself. I ripped the cap off my head and ran my hand through my hair.

"Just noticing that?" Emmett asked, cocking his brow.

"I've got a lot on my mind," I retorted. "Let's just fucking go."

I locked the doors and shot one last look at the Volvo before we started in the direction of the house. There was no guarantee it would still be here when we got back. But no matter, it was just a fucking car. I could replace it.

My thoughts were chaotic, tormented, as we walked towards the house. I wildly raced through every scenario that we might walk into. An empty house was the first. Not too bad, I'd just keep searching for her. Traces that they were here, but gone. Worse, but I'd still look for her. And then I started thinking about all the different ways I could find Bella; tied up, beaten, broken--tortured.

My heart clenched violently in my chest as the poisonous thoughts seeped their way to consciousness. I took a deep, shuddering breath and fell to my knees as the fire blazed, hotter than ever. I vaguely heard a low, anguished moan repeatedly escape my lips but was too consumed with the cruel images that battered my brain to stop it.

Emmett was crouched down by my side in an instant, yelling at me to snap out of it. But I wasn't sure I could.

The fire lapped at my body again and I ran my hand over my face, scraping the skin, almost as if I was trying to claw the fire out. I wish I could.

"What if..." I choked. "I can't...If she's in there and...I can't handle it." I didn't make much sense, but Emmett seemed to understand.

"Pull yourself together," he demanded. "You are no use to her if you're out here freaking out on me. Not only that, but you're scaring the absolute fuck out of me. It's like you're going crazy."

"Feels like it," I gasped.

"Come on." He pulled me to my feet. "I can go in there myself, but Bella will need you. She'll need the strong, arrogant, asshole Sailor-slash-Marine we all know you to be."

I checked my footing, making sure my knees weren't going to give out on me again and nodded. We started towards the house again and this time, I shut off my brain; my heart. I became completely detached, lost in another realm.

We got to the house, turned the safeties off our guns and silently scoped out the outside, looking for a way in without being noticed. The back door was cracked and one of the ground floor windows was open on the side, giving me just enough room to slip inside while Emmett rounded the back and went in through the door. I didn't give myself any time to think, just acted solely on the magnetism that I had with Bella and ducked through the window.

She was inside. And she was alive. I could feel it pulsing in every part of me, slowly chasing the incapacitating fire away.

I got inside and put my back against the wall as I looked around. I could hear shuffles and muffled noises coming from the second floor. I listened silently for a minute, rocking on my heels as I waited impatiently for Emmett.

And then I heard the one sound that shattered my resolve, my heart, and my world.

Bella's scream.


	33. Chapter 33

**OK, it gets a little violent in this chapter...there's your warning ;)**

**And I may be an evil bitch for putting up 2 cliffies in a row (I seriously feel guilty about it) but I'm not cruel...so you here's your update. I just finished it...uh...4 minutes ago, so if it's not perfect...I'll fix it later. I gotta stop looking at the screen before I go cross-eyed. I worked my ass off on it today instead of doing a BTSATM update, lol.**

**Thanks for the reviews!**

***~***

Chapter 33

**Bella**

I came to, feeling my head swim from the drug that Jane had injected into me. I slowly opened my eyes and blinked rapidly, adjusting to what little light there was, as the room came into focus. The walls surrounding me were a putrid, yellow color, almost as if they were at once a crisp white and had discolored with time and mass quantities of nicotine or whatever else had been smoked in here.

The foul smelling carpet was rough against my face. I glanced down and saw myself lying in some deep red stain--coagulated blood. I shot up and instantly regretted the movement. The entire room tilted as my stomach lurched. I tried to fight the heaving of my stomach and lost. I crouched over and retched violently onto the floor until I'd emptied the contents of my stomach.

_What the hell did she give me?_

Once the spinning stopped, I stood up and looked at my surroundings more closely. I must've been inside an old, abandoned house. Possibly in what was at one time a large bedroom. I saw the gouged wooden door to my side and rushed over to it, trying to fling it open with no luck. It was locked. I punched and kicked and pulled, trying any way I could to get it open, but it wouldn't budge. Naturally, the one structurally sound part of this house would be the door I was locked behind.

I looked around again and saw no other way out except for a boarded up window on the other side of the room. I went over to it and tried to pry the boards off with my fingers, but only managed to mangle my hands on the rusty nails in the process.

Looked like I was getting a tetanus shot...if I ever got out of here.

I laughed bleakly and backed up into the corner, sliding down the wall and putting my arms around my knees once I hit the floor. I wasn't getting out of here. Jane had finally lost her mind and was planning on killing me. Though, I had to admit, she either had gotten sloppy or didn't think I was a threat--I was unbound.

I stared at the shadows that slowly moved across the walls with the sun's movement, indicating time passing by. But I didn't care about how much time passed. I cared about never seeing my son's sweet face again. Of never hearing his bright laugh or his carefree voice. I would never know what kind of man he would become or be able to watch him graduate from high school, college; not seeing him get married and giving Edward and me grandbabies.

_Edward._

The pain slammed into me like a tsunami, washing me away. I would never see his beautiful, perfect face or watch that smug, crooked grin flash across it when he teased me. I'd never see his glorious body or his bright green eyes staring into mine, showing me how much love and devotion he held for me; baring his soul. The future I'd always pictured us having rapidly vanished before my eyes.

I thought about the pained expression on his face with the thought of me leaving and couldn't imagine the heartache he would feel when I never came back.

My family--Edward's family--came into view. Charlie, Carlisle, Esme, Emmett, Rosalie, Jasper, Alice, Angela, Ben. Even Jacob's and Jessica's faces flashed in my mind, dragging me deeper and deeper into the black water. The despair--the anguish--was so great, I didn't think I'd ever resurface.

More time passed as I sobbed uncontrollably, curling up into the corner, and gripping tightly onto myself. I cried for what felt like days, even though it was only a few hours. Slowly, as I sniffled and hiccupped, the tears died down and my mind wrapped around my fate. Even if I didn't make it out of here alive, I wasn't going down without a fight. I'd spent too much time and energy learning how to protect myself to just keel over and die.

I wiped the tears away and took a deep breath, feeling the shudder of fear rip through my body as I waited for someone to come through the door.

Finally, I heard the clinking of the lock being turned and stood up, making sure I was still in the corner as I watched the door closely for the first sign of my attacker.

The fear dissipated, and instead, I felt anger--bloodlust. I suddenly wanted to rip Jane limb from limb; throttle her so that I could never hear that sickeningly sweet voice again. My hands balled into fists at my side and I felt my body instinctively lean forward into an animalistic crouch.

I was ready.

The door opened and in walked a large, muscular man I had never seen before, holding a bunch of rope. I instantly reacted in shock, straightening up into a rigid stance as I watched him shut the door and insert a key into the lock, effectively locking us in together.

_Shit._

He slid the key in his pocket and gave me a sly grin. "My, my, my. Look who's up already. I guess I'll have to do this the hard way then."

"Who are you?" I tried to keep my voice even, but failed. It came out broken and shaky.

He chuckled darkly. "I'm Felix. I've been helping Jane with this little...endeavor."

"Why?" My voice came out loud and clear this time.

He shrugged nonchalantly. "Why not?" He took two steps towards me and I instantly flattened myself against the wall, making him chuckle again. "I finally convinced that crazy bitch to stop watching you and just take you. I was getting tired of this wait and see game of hers." He paused. "Well, I guess it really isn't a game to her. Did you know she thinks you and your little boyfriend are out to get her? Make her life hell? Take her kid and all that?" he asked, laughing. "She really is batshit, isn't she?"

I nodded. "But it's a game to you?"

"Always." He gave me an evil smile, causing a chill to go down my spine in response. "You know, you really are quite beautiful. I've spent weeks imagining all the ways I could play with you." He stood there in thought for a moment. "But, I suppose playtime will have to wait. Jane wants you naked. And bound."

The bile rose to the back of my throat and I struggled to swallow it down. "Oh, God," I whispered.

"God?" he questioned, looking at me strangely. "Are you a religious girl, Bella?" I stared at him blankly. "Because God won't save you now."

This man was the devil incarnate--a sadistic monster. I didn't know what he had planned for me but it terrified me to the point that I was trembling so violently, the entire room seemed to vibrate. I locked down on my muscles, trying to control my body's reaction to his revolting innuendo and threat.

He crossed the room and pressed his massive, hard body against me. I whimpered when his breath was at my ear. He seemed to be toying with me, enjoying my reaction. His hand slowly snaked across my stomach, fingering the hem of my shirt and I instantly shot my hand out, slapping it away.

"Don't fucking touch me," I said between my teeth.

He clucked his tongue. "Now, Bella. Don't be like that. This will be much easier if you don't fight it."

I shoved against him, surprising him with the force of it and raced across the room. He laughed--a full-bodied laugh--when I slammed my body against the locked door.

"Where are you going to go?" he asked, still laughing at me.

"Let me out!" I screamed, pounding against the door. I knew it was pointless, but I couldn't help myself.

He rolled his eyes. "Stop being so dramatic."

I didn't listen to him. Just kept pounding hysterically on the door. Maybe someone outside would hear my screams?

He was across the room in a flash, grabbing me and spinning me around. His unfortunately handsome face contorted in anger and his brown eyes glowed with hatred as he looked down on me.

"I'm already pissed off at Jane enough as it is for not giving you enough drugs to keep you knocked out until dark so I'll only say this once. Shut the fuck up."

He watched my chest heave with the deep breath I took. "No."

I raised my fist and punched his Adam's apple so quickly he didn't even realize what had happened until his hand flew up to his throat and he began coughing and sputtering as he struggled to catch his breath.

"You bitch," he wheezed.

"I told you not to fucking touch me." I had a whole arsenal of ways to keep him from touching me.

He threw the rope down and reached behind him to pull out a large knife. It glinted in the one stream of light that came through the window. He walked over towards me, but I merely sidestepped his maneuver. We circled around each other and finally, he grew tired of the game and lunged for me.

I swung my hand out and hit the side of his wrist, causing his hand to open and the knife to roll across the floor while kicking him in soundly in the nuts. I launched myself at the knife but the asshole must be castrated or something, because before I could even get to the knife, he was tackling me, clawing his way up my body and pinning me to the ground.

He flipped me over and grabbed my throat. "That fucking hurt, bitch," he seethed.

I panted and felt his hand tighten at my throat. "That should have brought you to your knees. You're not a eunuch, are you?" I asked breathlessly.

"Fuck you," he spat.

"No, thanks."

I fumbled for the knife, reaching blindly above my head, but couldn't find it. I squirmed underneath him, pressing my feet into the floor and trying to get some sort of leverage to scoot us in a feeble attempt to get closer to the knife. He saw what I was trying to do and reached over, effortlessly grabbing the knife, and then replacing his hand with it against my throat.

I instantly froze and looked at him warily.

"You going to stop fighting me now, Bella?" he asked, clenching his jaw in anger.

I blinked rapidly, unwilling to answer him. Taking my silence as acquiescence, he pulled at the collar of my shirt and ripped it open, exposing my body to him. He ran his gaze over me, causing me to shudder, and then held me down with his hand again while he trailed the knife over my breasts and stomach and reached for the rope.

"No!" I yelled, flailing my legs wildly. "You're not tying me up!"

He grunted as he struggled to keep his control over me. He took the knife and ran it roughly across my skin, making an angry, red line across my chest. I cried out in pain, only making him laugh again. I could feel the blood trickle from the cut down to my arm as I used every ounce of strength I had to keep him from ripping my jeans off my legs.

He dug the tip of the knife into my hip, causing me to stop fighting him as the pain washed over me and he was able to get my jeans down my legs. As soon as he had me free from the constraint of my jeans wrapped around my ankles, I scrounged at the floor so that I could stand back up and limped across the room, towards the door.

He dove for my legs and shoved the knife into my thigh and twisted it as he pushed it in deeper, reaching my bone. A bloodcurdling scream ripped from my throat as I fell to the ground in agony.

In an instant he was on top of me again, pressing the bloody knife against my throat. I moaned as I caught sight of the blood and felt the dizziness come over me. I closed my eyes and tried to push it away as he fumbled with my underwear.

The searing pain shot up my leg when I went to position myself so that he couldn't get them down and I screamed out again.

A loud pounding on the door brought me out of the fog. I heard Edward's voice yelling on the other side of the door, and opened my mouth to call out to him, but Felix's hand was covering my mouth, muffling the sound as it came out.

I kept struggling against him, even though the knife was digging in to my skin and heard a loud shot being fired on the other side of the door. My eyes bugged out and my breath came in short, sharp gasps against Felix's hand.

_EDWARD! NO!_

******************************

**Edward**

I was up the stairs in a blur, racing towards the bone-chilling scream that echoed throughout the house. The scream that I would live the rest of my life trying to forget but never being able to.

I tried the knob, but it was locked. I heard Bella's scream again and frantically beat against the door, trying to get to her.

After hitting it several times with my shoulder and pounding it with my fists, I held the gun out and blew the lock off, kicking the door open and becoming infuriated as soon as I saw what lay behind the door.

Bella was underneath some...animal, practically naked, writhing and trying to scramble out from under him. He held a knife to her throat and had his hand over her mouth, covering up her frantic cries. I could see the blood seeping from her neck as she struggled to break free.

Her terrified eyes met mine and I lost it.

My vision was tinged with red as I became so blindly enraged, I leapt forward and attacked him, pulling him off of Bella. I rolled us around so that I was on top of him and slammed my fist into his face, repeatedly hearing the cracking sounds of his facial bones as my fist connected each time. I fisted his shirt in my hand, rearing my other arm back again and saw his head loll to the side and his eyes flutter closed.

Disgusted, I threw him on the ground and stood up. I looked over at Bella, who was still laying there, as if she'd never moved, panting almost as heavily as I now was. The entire room disappeared; I could only see her wondrous face--the face I thought I'd never lay eyes on again. I took one step towards her and felt myself pulled back, falling down as if someone had brought the rug out from under me. I flipped around and saw the bloodied man leaning over me, his broken face twisted with rage.

I saw his intent as he brought the knife up and went to plunge it into my chest. I rolled to the side, causing him to swipe my arm instead. Gritting my teeth against the pain, I grabbed the gun off the floor and pointed it at him. I didn't even think. I just squeezed the trigger. He dropped to the floor and clutched at his chest as the blood rushed out of the wound, covering his fingers.

Judging by the position his hands were at, I was pretty sure the bullet tore through his fucking aorta.

I collapsed next to her in a heap and brought her up, hugging her tightly to me. Her sweet scent surrounded me and I had to choke back the sob that rose in my throat.

"Oh, God, Bella," I moaned, almost on the verge of tears with the relief I felt.

"Edward," she cried. Her teeth chattered and her chest heaved with her sobs. "I didn't think I'd ever see you again," she hiccupped.

"Shh, it's okay, a ghrá. I'm right here." I lifted her chin with my fingers so I could look into her eyes. "I didn't think I would see you again either. I thought you were..." I couldn't finish my sentence so instead I kissed her passionately, feeling my chest swell with the emotions that came over me.

I finally broke away from her when I was out of air and just stroked her face, never more grateful to be able to touch her smooth, creamy skin.

Emmett's loud steps echoed through the house as he raced up the steps. Bella stiffened in my arms and I ran my hand over her back soothingly.

"It's just Emmett," I whispered, making her relax.

Emmett came rushing through the door with his gun aimed out, looking absolutely livid. He looked at us and then looked at the man on the floor and slowly lowered his gun as he processed the scene before him.

His face crumpled in pain. "Jesus fucking Christ. I heard the shots and thought one of you was dead."

I shook my head. "I shot the lock off the door and then attacked him when I saw him on top of Bella," I said, grinding my teeth. "He wasn't going to stop so I ended up having to shoot him."

The fury came rushing through my body again, pounding at me with every pulse. I was so maddened, I had to fight the urge to stand up and do a victory dance over the man's corpse. I took a deep breath and looked down at Bella in order to calm myself.

"Who is he?"

"He said his name was Felix," Bella answered, looking over at the body.

Emmett nodded. "We've been looking for him." He walked over to the man and checking for a pulse. He shook his head gravely and looked up at Bella. "You okay, Jelly Belly?"

She shifted in my arms and winced. "I'll be fine."

I released her from my arms and began looking her over. I could now see the blood covering her body. I had been so angered, I hadn't noticed anything except the knife digging into her throat earlier. I was then so blinded by Bella's face that I'd missed the angry red line running across her chest and the trail of dried, smeared blood running from it, the small gash on her right hip that had soaked the edge of her panties with blood, and the large, still gushing, mangled wound on the side of her left thigh.

"What the fuck did he do to you?" I shouted, grabbing her shirt off the floor and meticulously examining the wound.

_Fuck, he tore through one of the ligaments and nicked a vein._

She gasped in pain when I started applying pressure to her leg and then pointed to where the knife and rope were strung out on the floor. "He was trying to get me naked and tie me up. I, uh, I didn't let him. It pissed him off."

"You fought back?" She nodded. I wrapped my free arm around her shoulder, kissing her jaw. "You are so fucking amazing, baby," I whispered in her ear.

She blushed and smiled. "Thanks."

I looked back at Emmett who was barking orders on the phone. "We need the coroner?" He nodded, grinning. "Good."

No one fucking touched Bella and got away with it.

Emmett got off the phone and came over to us, moving Bella's matted hair away from her face. "Aro and Chief Bennett are on their way. And they've sent an ambulance for Bella."

"I don't need an ambulance," she protested.

"Yes, you do," we said in unison.

She looked at me pleadingly. "Can't you fix me up?"

I shook my head. "You need surgery," I said softly.

"What?" she screeched. "You can't just stitch me up?"

I shook my head sadly. "The lac on your leg is bad. They need to go in and repair the damaged tissue. And you're still losing blood."

"I want you to do it," she said firmly.

"Sweetheart, I can't. I'm emotionally involved with you. Hospital policy." She looked completely deflated. "I'll try to get in the room, though. If I can't, I can at least watch from the wash room. I'm sure I can get the Chief to agree to that."

This seemed to mollify her and she nodded her agreement.

"So, Bell? How many more enemies do you have? Because everyone assumed Jane was the one who got you." Emmett cocked his brow, trying to tease her, but his eyes were burning with questions.

"What?" She looked between us in surprise. "Jane did take me." She pointed to Felix. "He said he finally convinced her to take me instead of sitting around and waiting. He was tired of waiting," she said bitterly.

My eyebrows shot up. "Jane took you?"

"Um-hm. She drugged me with something and then I woke up here. Felix was under instruction to get me tied up and naked. He assumed I'd still be under when he walked in."

"So, where the fuck is Jane?" Emmett asked crossly. "She was in none of the rooms downstairs."

"Oh, she's around somewhere," I said confidently. "She's hiding from us."

"Why?" Emmett asked, confused.

"She thinks we're trying to make her life hell and take her kid," Bella answered.

"What kid?" I asked, looking at her curiously.

She shrugged on shoulder. " I have no idea. I'm just going off what psycho over there said." She nudged her head towards Felix. If the situation had been any different, I might have laughed.

Good to see she wasn't going to need months of therapy after this.

I kissed Bella's hair quickly and got to my feet, ripping my shirt off and gently slipping it over her body. It was almost useless, seeing as though the paramedics would probably cut right through it, but I didn't want to take her outside without covering her up with something.

I scooped her up and cradled her in my arms. I could hear the sirens getting louder and louder as they closed the distance between us. We made our way to the back door and were rushed with cops as we walked outside. Emmett flashed his badge, and they all quickly brushed by us and into the house, holding their guns in position and signing commands and observations with their hands to one another. It reminded me all too much of Iraq, so I ignored them.

Bella nuzzled her face against my neck, yawning, as we continued to walk out front, where we were met with the bright, flashing lights of the cruisers and the ambulance.

"Edward!" Aro came rushing over to us, looking at Bella in alarm. "Is she all right?"

"She will be," I answered, continuously moving towards the ambulance.

"I need to know what happened in there," he said firmly.

I looked down at Bella, who's eyes were closed. "You want our statements? Meet us at the hospital. I need to get her taken care of. She's lost a lot of blood." I grudgingly passed Bella off to one of the paramedics and got ready to hop inside. "Oh, Aro? Jane's around." I looked back at the house. "Somewhere. Find her."

I didn't wait for him to say anything back. I got in the ambulance, told them to take her to Northwestern, and sat on the bench, next to Bella's head. They had immobilized her and were administering oxygen. I held her hand and watched the paramedics closely, making sure they didn't fuck up. The paramedic in the back with us got ready to start an IV, putting on a tourniquet and fumbling with Bella's vein. She immediately tensed up and her breathing quickened, fogging up the mask at a rapid pace.

"Stop," I commanded.

He looked at me oddly. "I have to run her lines. She needs an IV and pain meds and is going to need blood as soon as she gets to the hospital."

I rolled my eyes. "I know that, but you're scaring the piss out of her. Give me some gloves." He just looked at me blankly. I leaned in closer to him, my face hardening. "Give me a pair of fucking gloves. Now."

He huffed, but handed me a pair of gloves.

I slipped them on and made sure Bella's arm was hanging low and started looking for a vein, which was ridiculously hard given the fact that her veins were so fucking tiny. I finally found a decent one and wiped her arm down with an alcohol swab. I motioned for the paramedic to give me the catheter and opened it, causing Bella's breaths to come in even faster, harsh gasps.

"Hey," I said, smiling softly. "It's okay. I know you don't like needles, but you need to calm down. Your body's been under enough stress as it is."

"But...I," she swallowed thickly and went pale.

"Do you trust me?" I asked soothingly. She tried to nod her head. "I won't hurt you, baby. I promise."

I focused on her vein and quickly inserted the catheter. I removed the needle and the tourniquet and quickly worked on attaching the tubing. I taped it in place and took off my gloves, throwing them to the floor. I went back to my spot and held Bella's now clammy hand.

"There. That wasn't so bad, was it?"

She laughed once but it was laced with the pain she was in. "No. I barely felt it. Is there anything you're not good at?" she asked, narrowing her eyes slightly.

I shook my head. "Nope. Not that I'm aware of."

I grinned at her, but there was an undercurrent of panic. She was still losing blood at a steady rate and wouldn't be able to get any more into her until we got to the ER. She wasn't going into shock and her BP wasn't scarily low--both reassuring--but I didn't want her out of my fucking sight until she was fixed up and in recovery.

And I still needed to call the Chief.

I pulled out my phone from the front pocket of my shirt and dialed the Chief's number. I explained the situation and requested to watch Bella's surgery and to also be allowed to be in the ER with her. He thankfully agreed to both and would be letting an attending in the ER that I was not to be forced out of the trauma room, no matter what.

The fire threatened to return with his words.

_Fuck._

The paramedic had gotten her lines set up and was getting ready to inject the pain medication into her IV. I didn't know how she'd react. If she'd become loopy and giggly or if she'd fall asleep. I was betting that now that her body was coming down from the adrenaline rush, she was going to sleep.

I held up a hand for him to stop and moved the mask away from her face. "Give me a second, please?" He nodded, so I leaned down and kissed Bella's lips softly, running my thumb over her cheek. "I love you," I said against her lips. I wanted to make sure she heard that before she got all doped up.

She sighed softly. "I love you," she said before I put the mask back on her.

We arrived at Northwestern, and Bella was wheeled into one of the trauma rooms with me at her heels. They started her transfusion, called the surgical floor, gave her a tetanus shot and started her on IV antibiotics. Then they cleaned out her wounds, putting butterfly closures on the smaller two, stitching up the gash on her hip, and putting a dressing on her leg to keep the bleeding down until she got into surgery. They were lucky she was under the influence of the pain meds, otherwise I was sure she'd make their jobs even more difficult by passing out from her squeamishness.

I let them suture up the gash on my arm, never leaving Bella's side. I sat in the fucking chair next to her, unwilling to let her out of my sight. It pissed the attending off, but I didn't give a shit.

We got up to the surgical floor and I let them wheel Bella off to prep her for surgery while I quickly changed into another pair of scrubs and grabbed another cap out of my locker. Then I scrubbed-in for the surgery, grabbed a gown and had the nurse slip a pair of gloves on my hands before I put a mask on. I wouldn't be operating on her, but I wasn't taking any risk of infection.

I walked over to her side and leaned down to kiss her forehead through my mask. "See you in the recovery room?" I asked.

"Yep." She was so out of it.

The anesthesiologist injected the cocktail into her IV. "Count back from a hundred with me?" I tucked a stray hair back in her cap.

"Okay," she said dreamily. "One hundred, ninety-nine, ninety-eight, ninety-sev..." Her eyes fluttered closed.

I watched Bella's vitals the entire surgery. I knew exactly what the surgeons were doing, which steps came next, which procedures and sutures were better given the circumstances, but it did nothing to calm my nerves and take away my worry.

I thought when the surgery was over, that I'd feel relieved. I was wrong. We got into the recovery room and I paced anxiously as I waited for her to wake up. I caught the nurses giving me a few glares, so I opted to sit next to Bella instead.

I put my elbows on my knees, leaning forward, and bounced impatiently as I waited for her eyes to open. After what felt like an eternity, her eyes slowly opened and she squinted as she looked around the room. I sat up; the movement caused her eyes to dart over to me. Her chocolaty eyes met mine and I exhaled loudly, feeling the soothing waves of relief wash over me.

I beamed at her. "Hi."

"Hi," she said, smiling back.

Just that one little word brought tears to my eyes. "Fuck, baby. I've been freaking out here."

She reached out for me, and I scooted closer to her, taking her hand. "I'm fine," she said quietly. "Just a little out of it."

I ran my eyes over her wildly. "Do you need anything? Are you in pain? Nauseous?"

She laughed softly. "I'm fine, Edward. Are _you_ okay?"

"Fucking perfect, a ghrá." I looked at her seriously. "Are you sure you're fine?"

"Yes," she said with a roll of her eyes.

"All right, I'll stop, sorry." I stood up and kissed her on the forehead. "I have an entire waiting room of people to give an update on you to and two phone calls to make." I handed her the call button. "If you need anything before I get back, push it."

"Okay."

"I'm serious, Bella," I said sternly.

She giggled. "Okay, okay."

I kissed her lips sweetly and couldn't stop the smile on my face when I pulled away. "I'll be right back. Don't go anywhere."

"Ha ha."

I got to the waiting room and my entire family, including Jacob, stood up as soon as they saw me.

"How is she?" Alice asked hurriedly.

"She's fine." I spoke to them all. "The pain meds they gave her before are still working so she's not hurting. The surgery went smoothly, there wasn't any debris in the wound, he just tore the shit out of her leg when he stabbed her." I could feel the anger bubbling up again and quickly pushed it away. "She doesn't seem to have any side effects to the anesthesia and they want to keep her here for the next forty-eight hours for observation, so if one of you guys could go to the house and pick up a few things...?"

"You don't even have to ask, son. Of course we will." Carlisle clapped me on the back.

I nodded my thanks. "I'm going back up there. I'll text you guys with the room number once she gets settled."

I gave everyone hugs and thanked them for coming up before heading back to the recovery room. I knew she was fine, but I couldn't seem to stop the over-protectiveness that suddenly came over me. I needed to see her, to feel her skin against mine--letting the thrumming electricity race through my body--to know she was perfectly safe.

"Cullen!" Emmett called after me.

I turned around and saw him jogging over to me. "Aro's set up at the house. He's got a team searching the neighborhood and he's got a couple of girls on vice going undercover and hitting up the dealers in town. He's not going to let her get away again."

"Good. It's bullshit it's gotten this far." He nodded. "Call me if you hear anything, yeah?"

"You got it." He paused. "Hey, Edward?"

"Yeah, Em?"

"Tell Belly I'm proud of her."

_So am I._

I smiled. "I will."

***~***

**Did you think I was going to let Felix go unaccounted for???? I might do something different for either Ch 34 or 35...haven't decided yet. Jane will be caught very soon. I can't let it go on forever!**


	34. Chapter 34

**Thanks for the reviews! I hope this is realistic enough, lol.**

**I feel like I'm whoring myself out here, but if you don't already know, I've posted the first chapter of a new story called The Man Who Can't Be Moved. It's totally different than this story.**

***~***

Chapter 34

**Bella**

I woke up, still a little groggy, and felt like I had slept on a hard slab of granite. Every muscle in my body ached to the point that I didn't want to move an inch, afraid the pain would worsen. My leg felt like it was on fire, itching and burning uncomfortably. I shifted and instantly regretted the action. A shooting pain went up my leg, causing me to inhale sharply through my teeth.

I felt something move next to me and opened my eyes to see Edward peering down at me, concern etched in his face. His eyes were wild with worry as they looked me over. I glanced down and saw that he was lying next to me in the bed and I was wrapped up in his arms. It comforted me to know he was right here for me, even though I was unconscious.

"Hi," I said thickly, grimacing at what my mouth felt like. "Oh, God. It's like something died in my mouth," I lamented.

He chuckled and kissed my forehead, before carefully extricating himself from me and getting out of the bed. He reached down and pulled something out of a bag on the floor and then went to the bathroom. I heard the water running for a second before he came back out, holding a cup of water and my toothbrush and toothpaste. He handed them to me and then gave me a basin to spit in. He helped me sit up so that I didn't hurt myself any more than necessary before standing back and watching me. I quickly brushed my teeth and sighed at how much better it made me feel.

"Thanks," I said fervently. "I feel like I've been asleep for days."

He smiled at me, but it didn't quite reach his still worried eyes. "Fifteen hours, give or take." My eyes popped out of my head. "Your body needed the rest. Between being drugged to unconsciousness twice, losing the amount of blood you did, and using all your strength to..." He didn't finish. "Well, it was no wonder you were so exhausted."

Everything from the ambulance ride until now seemed like it was blanketed under a thick layer of fog. I vaguely remembered everyone crowding in my room and talking to us--well, mostly to Edward--and thought Edward might've given me a hard time about the stupid call button in the recovery room, but I couldn't be sure. The events before, however, I remembered clearly. I remembered that adrenaline that raced through my veins when I was fighting Felix, the pain I felt each time the knife dug into me, and the sadness that had washed over me when I thought I wasn't going to make it out of there alive. But what stood out the most was the split second of fear I felt when I thought Edward had been shot.

I shuddered with the memory.

"You okay?" he asked, running his fingers along my face.

"I'm fine." My stomach growled. "No, I take that back. I'm hungry."

He got a tray off the table in the corner. "They brought this in an hour ago, but I didn't want to wake you up." He thought for a moment. "They weren't happy I was in the bed with you, that's for damn sure."

"Are you not allowed in the bed with me?" I asked, taking the cover off the plate.

"Technically, no. But since I'm a doctor here, I think they'll look over it." He stretched and I heard his back pop loudly. "Uh, that bed is uncomfortable as hell. I can't wait to get you home and in _our_ bed."

I tore off a piece of my bagel and popped it in my mouth. "You don't have to sleep with me you know."

I bit my lip, hoping he didn't see through the lie.

He rolled his eyes. "Of course I'm going to sleep with you." He sat down carefully on the edge of the bed and looked at me seriously. "I don't think you realize it, but I needed to be next to you last night, a ghrá." He paused for a beat. "Even if you were snoring," he said teasingly.

"I don't snore," I shot back.

"Like a fucking bear. I've never heard anything so loud," he laughed. He grabbed my hand and kissed my palm. "Must be the pain meds. You normally don't snore at home. Speaking of pain meds, you should probably get some more."

I shook my head vehemently. "I don't want to be knocked out again." I wanted to be able to see his face and smell his wonderful scent instead of sleeping.

He reached for the call button, pressing it, and smiled at me. "Something mild then? To take the edge off?"

"Please." I was hurting more than I would admit.

We talked a little bit about the nurses and the surgery while I ate. One of the nurses came in and gave me a huge white pain pill and waited for me to take it before she left the room again.

Edward stopped talking and let me finish my food, watching me closely the entire time. I felt like I was on display. I shot him a glare and he looked away, shaking his head and laughing, but after a few minutes I caught him watching me again.

"Would you stop? You're looking at me like I'm going to disappear!"

He let out a short breath and frowned. "Aren't you though?" he said softly.

"Baby," I groaned. "What is that supposed to mean?"

He gave me a small smile. "Nothing, really. I just have this strange need to not let you out of my sight. Like if I do, something else is going to happen to you." He shrugged. "It's pretty fucking stupid, but I can't help it."

I let out my breath slowly and decided to change the subject. "So, since I woke up with you in the bed, I guess it's safe to assume you haven't had a shower yet today?" He shook his head, looking at me in confusion. "Will you help me take mine then?"

"You're not taking a shower. You're not getting out of that bed unless it's to use the bathroom for the next few days," he said firmly.

"Edward. It's a cut." He started to say something back but I stopped him. "Yes, it's a really deep, serious cut. I get that and I promise I won't try to do anything stupid. But I can't lay around all day. Even if I'm just hobbling to the shower and then coming right back to bed, I need to get up so I don't go crazy. Please?"

He sighed. "Fine. I'll sit you down on the bench and use the detachable showerhead so that we can avoid getting your sutures wet."

"Thank you."

He mumbled something under his breath while he took the tray of leftover food and put it back on the table that sounded something along the lines of 'being wrapped around my fucking finger'. I held back my laughter in case that was what he did _actually_ say.

He cradled me in his arms and lifted me out of the bed before he gently put me down. I made the mistake of putting my weight on my injured leg and gasped in pain, gripping on to Edward tightly as the blinding pain made its way up my body.

"Don't put your weight on it, baby," he said gently. I nodded as he wrapped his arm around my waist and held me up. He rolled the IV pole over to me and took the pulse monitor off my finger. "Here, you roll this and I'll make sure you don't hurt yourself. Okay?"

"Okay."

I limped to the bathroom with Edward and stopped at the edge of the shower. He had me brace myself against him and he gently slid the gown off my body before slowly removing my underwear, making sure to avoid the bandage on the side of my leg. He led me to the bench and sat me down before turning on the water and going out to the room and getting the bag on the floor. He came back, shutting and locking the door behind him and then quickly undressed before hopping in the shower with me.

"Who's first?" he asked lightly.

"You go ahead. I'll take forever."

I watched him wash his hair and then scrub his well defined body, chewing on my lip the entire time. The streams of soap ran down his taut muscles and the beads of water dripped from his almost black-looking hair, making him look absolutely amazing.

There was a reason we didn't take a shower together unless we had a motive behind it.

He ran his hands through his wet hair and wiped his face as he turned to me. "Your turn," he said, grinning.

He soaped up my loufa and handed it to me so that I could soap up my body. As soon as I was finished, he gently stood me up and carefully rinsed the soap off, making sure the water didn't run over the cuts on my body. He rinsed my hair out and washed it for me, scrubbing my scalp gently with the pads of his fingers and making me moan as his touch sent chills through my body.

"Bella," he warned slowly.

"Sorry," I said sheepishly. "It feels good."

He kissed my shoulder. "I'm glad," he whispered against my skin. "I'll keep it in mind for when you're all healed up and I can actually touch you," he promised.

He finished with my hair and shut off the water. He got out and toweled off and wrapped the towel around his waist before he came over to me and dried me off. He gently ran his fingers over the light bruises that covered my arms and chest and then skimmed the cut that ran across my chest apologetically.

"Don't feel guilty," I said softly. "You didn't do any of this to me."

His eyes flickered to my face for a second and then looked back down. "I know you don't want me to, but I do." He took a deep breath. "You know, even with all the cuts and bruises, you're still fucking breathtaking."

"Edward..."

He wrapped the towel around me. "I'm not lying to you, Bella. You are..." He trailed off and took a deep, shaky breath. "When I thought..." His breath hitched and he shook his head as if he was trying to clear the painful thoughts from his mind.

"Hey." My heart wrenched in my chest at the broken expression that crossed his face.

He bent down and kissed me reverently; passionately, cupping my face with his hands until I was lightheaded and had to pull back. I looked up at him and saw that his lashes were wet and he was fighting to keep his composure.

"I don't know what I'd do if I lost you." His voice broke and a stray tear escaped his eye. "Ah, fuck. I should be happy. You're safe and with me and instead I'm on the verge of a fucking meltdown."

His tear caused my eyes to well up as the pain he felt seemed to permeate my skin and envelope my heart. I sobbed once and wrapped my arms around his neck, clinging tightly to him as I cried. Everything we'd been through in the last thirty-some-odd hours seemed to come crashing down on us at once. His arms wrapped around my body, molding me to him, as his chest heaved with his silent sobs. He placed frenzied kisses all over my neck and shoulder, over my collarbone and back up again before he finally reached my lips and kissed me deeply.

He pulled back and nuzzled his nose with mine. "I love you."

"I love you," I whispered back.

******************************

"Hey there, Sleeping Beauty." Emmett poked his head in the door and smiled at me.

"Hey, Em!" I answered back, smiling.

His eyes went over to Edward as if they were having some silent conversation before he nodded and slipped in the door.

"Everyone will be here soon. I just wanted to talk to you for a minute before they came in," he said tensely. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine," I said slowly, unsure of what he wanted to talk about.

"Good. Aro is coming in a couple hours to take your statement. I wanted to make sure you were okay before he came in and started questioning you. If you're not ready to talk about it, I'm not letting him in the fucking door."

I laughed at the brother-like sentiment. "It's okay, really. I should tell him everything as soon as I can so that we can find Jane. I'm not interested in being kidnapped again."

"You're sure?" His cobalt eyes held mine evenly.

"Yes, Emmett. I'm sure." I waved him to me. "Come here. I don't remember if I thanked you yet for coming with Edward to find me. So thank you."

He crossed the room and carefully wrapped me in his arms. "Don't be stupid, Bella. Like I wouldn't go with him to find you."

I nodded and wiped the tears from my eyes before they could fall down my face. Having Emmett teach me to protect myself saved my life. Edward had told me that they were both proud of me for holding my own, but if it wasn't for Emmett, I wouldn't have known what to do. I most likely would have panicked. I would be eternally grateful to him.

A soft knock broke me from my thoughts and I saw Rosalie start through the door. "Are you lucid?"

"Yes," I giggled.

"Thank God. I couldn't handle much more of the Alice the Gnome's shit."

I heard Alice's indignant soprano voice from the hallway. "Hey!"

I laughed. "God, I've missed you two."

Everyone filed in the room and came over to give me a hug, each of them asking me how I was feeling. Carlisle lingered at my side, going through my chart carefully.

"I've been keeping a watch on what they're giving her, Dad, " Edward laughed.

Carlisle looked at Edward guiltily. "Sorry. Force of habit." He looked me over in concern. "You haven't taken any pain medication in a while. Do you need anything?"

"No. I'm okay right now."

He nodded and let the subject drop.

Everyone sat around the bed and we played round after round of cards, just enjoying each other's company for the rest of the afternoon. It was nice to sit back and relax with Edward's family, even if the it wasn't under the best of circumstances. With everything going on, it had been weeks since we'd really gotten to sit and talk with them.

We were just finishing up a game of Hearts, when Aro came in the room. Everyone looked at one another before quickly packing up and telling Edward and me goodbye, with the exception of Emmett, who never moved from his spot.

"Well, I guess I know how to clear a room," Aro said, trying to keep things light.

"That you do," Edward agreed. "Sit down," he said with a sigh. "Let's get this over with."

Aro nodded and took the seat next to Emmett, getting out a tape recorder and a notebook before looking at me.

"Start from the beginning?" Aro asked me.

I explained everything from the time I got separated from the police officer who was following me until after Felix came in the room. That's where Aro stopped me.

"What kid? Jane doesn't have a child."

I took a deep breath. "I don't know. He just said she thought we were trying to take her kid. I figured maybe it was imaginary since you'd never said anything about Jane having a child?"

He nodded. "It could be. But I'm going to look into any kidnapping reports that have been filed since she left Texas, just to be on the safe side. She tried to take Eli. She may have succeeded with another child."

"Oh, my God," I gasped.

Edward put his head in his hands and groaned.

"Go on," Aro said with a flourish of his hand.

I told him the rest of what happened, careful not to leave anything out until I got into the hospital. After I was finished, he turned to Edward.

"Your turn." He gave him a small smile.

"Why should I?" Edward countered.

"I'm not sure what you mean," Aro said in confusion.

"This whole investigation is a joke." Emmett tried to cover his laughter with a cough. "Jane is," Edward stopped, thinking of how to finish, "well, she's nuts. How has she not been found? How in the fuck did she manage to get someone else's kid? How did your department let it got so far that my fiancée was kidnapped and stabbed twice?" he said heatedly. "Why didn't you send a team out as soon as you got the address instead of waiting?" Aro started to answer but Edward plowed ahead. "Because do you know what I think? I think at this point, I could get more accomplished by going door to door looking for her until I'd hit every fucking house in the city."

"I'm doing everything I can, Edward. I have to follow the Chief's instructions. I can't just go send out a team whenever I feel like it. I have to get approval." He looked around at all of us. "Look, I know you're frustrated with the whole situation. Hell, so am I. But I'm positive that now that Felix is out of the picture, we'll find Jane without a problem."

Edward looked at Aro speculatively. "Why do you say that?"

"Surely you can't think Jane was able to stay hidden away and accomplish all of this toying with you on her own." He looked at us like it was obvious. "She's unstable. If she honestly thinks that you and Bella are trying to harm her in any way, she should have already tried to hurt you. And I don't mean kidnap you and take you to an abandoned house to torture and kill you. I mean, go to your work and scream and yell with a gun until she was arrested." He paused for a moment. "She's not evil, she's a schizophrenic."

He had a point.

******************************

**Edward**

I reluctantly gave Aro my statement, even though I didn't think he deserved my help anymore. This had gone on far too long. My fiancée was _kidnapped._ She was stabbed. She had to fucking fight for her life while those morons who were supposed to protect the people in this city let some sort of bureaucracy keep them from going after her.

Bella was...Bella was strong as hell. She didn't wilt away like some delicate flower and turn into herself after this whole ordeal. She took it in stride and didn't let it affect her.

I wish I could say the same.

I didn't know how to let Bella out of my sight anymore. How not to touch her smooth skin and watch her breathing when she slept. This woman was my life, my world, and she was almost taken from me. I couldn't seem to let that go and just be myself with her. I'm sure I was driving her crazy, but I hadn't taken my eyes off her since I found her in that abandoned house. I helped her get out of bed when she needed to, helped her get dressed, watched the nurses change her dressings and administer her pain meds. There wasn't a thing she didn't need that I didn't jump up and get for her immediately.

Aro and Emmett's cell phones starting going off at the same time, startling Bella. I watched them both look at the text message and launch themselves out of their chairs, throwing their coats on and getting ready to walk out the door.

Emmett looked at the two of us for a second, before he decided to speak. "They've got Jane cornered in an alley. She's got a gun. We're heading down there." He then looked directly at Aro. "I think Edward should come with us."

"What?" Bella asked, frightened. "Why?"

"Emmett's right, Edward," Aro said, ignoring Bella. "You might be able to convince her you're not trying to harm her and see if she'll tell you where the child is." He stopped. "If there is a child," he amended.

I started to get up, but one look at Bella's terrified expression made me stop. I knew I needed to do whatever I could to end this so we could get our lives back, but I couldn't leave Bella. It was like some unknown force was holding me back, tying me to her with a million strings.

Bella saw my indecision and straightened up, giving me a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "You should go," she insisted. "I'll be here when you get back."

"He'll be safe, Bella. I won't let him get hurt," Emmett said comfortingly.

She looked up at Emmett and I watched the fear disappear from her eyes. "I know you won't, Em." She looked back at me. "You should go," she repeated. "If there's any way to end this tonight, don't hesitate to do it. You need for our lives to go back to normal just as much as I do."

I reluctantly stood up and then leaned down and brushed my lips against hers. "I'm coming back to you, I promise."

"You'd better," she whispered back.

I started down the hall with Emmett and Aro and was suddenly shrouded with an intense feeling of loss, like I'd left my fucking heart and soul in that room with Bella. All I could think about was turning around and running back to her so that I could hold her in my arms. But I knew, realistically, I couldn't. I needed to do everything I could to help get Jane into the back of a cruiser without anyone getting hurt.

This needed to end _now._

We got into Aro's car and before I could even get the door shut all the way, Aro had put the car in gear and was already starting out of the parking lot. He raced down the streets, weaving in and out of traffic, honking at the people that hadn't seen his light flashing and move out of the way. I was practically tossed around the backseat the entire time.

"Now I know how you felt, Em," I muttered.

He turned around and gave me a smug grin. "Sucks doesn't it, Cullen? Feel like you're gonna puke yet?"

My stomach rolled on cue. "Yep."

We finally got to the alley and Aro skid the car to a stop right behind the cruiser that was blocking Jane's only exit.

He tossed me a Kevlar and a .22. "I didn't give you that," he said, looking pointedly at the gun in my hand.

I nodded once. "Got it."

We all got out of the car to hear screeching coming from the alley. I slipped on the vest, took a deep breath, and crouched down, making my way over to the other officers by the cruiser.

We all sat there in stunned silence while we watched Jane. She was muttering and screaming to herself, pointing the gun down at the ground, and then shouting at the ground--like she was shouting at _someone_. She abruptly straightened back up and started laughing hysterically, to the point the she was wiping tears away. The entire time, her body ticked and twitched randomly. She had one hand at the crown of her head, twirling her hair in between her fingers aimlessly.

She stopped talking and the gun jerked wildly in her hand while she stared blankly at the wall.

_Okay._

"Where is he?" she giggled.

Aro looked at me and silently urged me to talk to her.

I took a deep breath and swallowed audibly. "Who?"

She looked skittish, looking around the alley in fear. "My son. Aidan."

I glanced over at Emmett. "What's he look like?" I asked calmly.

"You."

She laughed lightly and bounced around, jerking occasionally. Her hand never left her hair. She stopped in mid-step and fired at the ground, making us all jump as the sound ricocheted off the alley walls.

"Want me to take the shot?" Emmett whispered to me.

I watched Jane's erratic behavior and shook my head slowly. "Look at her, Em. She's gone."

She seemed so...helpless. I couldn't just shoot her down, not without cause. And even though she had a gun, she was lost in her own little world, muttering strange things to herself.

"Give him back, give him back," she sang, dancing in a circle.

"Jesus," Emmett muttered. "What the fuck do we do now?"

"I have no idea." This was unlike anything I'd ever seen before.

Suddenly she stopped dancing and fixed her angry stare in our direction. "Where's the whore," she seethed.

"What?" I was completely dumbfounded by her behavior.

She seemed to be listening to something and gasped, almost in realization. She spun around and started running towards the end of the alley, pushing against the wall as if she could make it move.

"Edward?" Jane's voice was shaky with fear. "Why do you want to take my son?"

"Jane," I said slowly. "You don't have a son."

"Yes, I do!" She giggled again.

"No, you don't." I kept my face blank.

She rolled her eyes. "Then why is he in the apartment?"

"What apartment?" I asked, irritated. I was getting nowhere.

"The one that Felix told me to stay in. But I didn't listen," she laughed. "He's there. You can't have him!"

"Where's the apartment?"

"I need to take care of the whore first." A glazed look came over her. "Right? She's a whore right? Isn't that what you said?" She was talking to no one again.

_Jesus._

"What do you want?" My voice was sharp as razor blades.

"My son," she answered politely. She continued twirling her hair and pointed the gun somewhat towards us.

"Who the fuck's your son?" I asked coldly.

She laughed hysterically, never breaking eye contact or lowering her gun. "Our son."

"Jane, that's not our son. We don't have a son."

She kept twirling her hair and stomped her foot like a petulant child. "Stop it! Stop saying that!" She threw a look to the side at the empty alley. "I know, I don't know why he won't give him back....No, no! I want my son back first. Then I'll kill him."

_What the fuck?_

"Who are you talking to?" I asked, trying to keep my voice even.

"Like you don't know?" she shot back. "They're trying to destroy my life!" she shrieked. "And you! You locked me up, ruined my career. But no more. I'm not letting you get away with it any more, Edward. I've been watching you, waiting for the perfect time to get you back. But I couldn't! You were always with her." She spat the last word. "So I took her. I want you to leave us alone," she said with finality.

The gun shook in her hands as she leveled it to my head. My throat constricted with fear as I looked at the barrel of the gun. I heard everyone cock their guns and aim them at her.

_Fuck._

"Jane. Stop. I'm not doing anything to you." I kept my voice soft and smooth, causing her eyes to widen. "I don't know where your son is. But let's find him, okay?"

"What about her?" Her lip curled.

"Just leave her for later. What's more important? Finding your son? Or her?" I had absolutely no fucking clue who we were talking about.

She whispered something like she was having a conversation with a ghost and then started shaking her head vehemently. She screamed loudly and started cursing and rambling. Suddenly she stiffened.

"I had to! He was going to spoil everything!" she wailed. "I...I....I..." Her head twitched violently.

"Jane!" I snapped. "Where's Aiden?"

She laughed maniacally. "In the apartment on sixty-fifth. He tried to leave. So, I shot him," she said nonchalantly. "Like this."

The gun fired, hitting me straight in the shoulder. The force threw me back, into the ground. I landed hard, causing all the air to leave my lungs while my already injured shoulder throbbed in pain. At the exact same time, the deafening sound of rapid fire echoed in the air.

I closed my eyes as my heart thudded loudly in my chest and I could hear the shouts and commands of everyone around me, but I couldn't seem to move. My entire body had locked down in fear. Emmett was shaking me, shouting at me, causing the excruciating pain to radiate through my arm. I grunted with the pain and squeezed my eyes tighter, trying to keep myself from passing out in agony.

"Did the fucking bullet tear through the muscle?" I asked through my teeth.

Emmett's huge fingers fumbled with the vest and he ripped it away from my body so he could tear the shirt away from my shoulder. "Shit. Yes. Call a fucking ambulance!" he bellowed.

"No," I protested. "We need to find the boy first."

"Edward, you're bleeding pretty badly. I think you need to go to the ER first."

I finally opened my eyes and looked down at my shoulder. The bullet had gone straight through the muscle, narrowly missing the bone, and was still lodged inside somewhere. The wound was bleeding heavily, but it wasn't life threatening. I would need surgery, but I could get to the apartment and see if there was an injured little boy there before I went to the hospital.

"No, I'll be fine. Help me up."

Emmett took my uninjured hand and pulled me up. I swayed on my feet with wooziness, but managed to right myself before I collapsed or threw up everywhere. I took my shirt off, groaning in pain, and balled it up so that I could use it to apply pressure to my shoulder.

"Let's go."

Emmett hesitated, looking back at the alley where Aro was standing over Jane's lifeless body, before finally nodding and getting into Aro's car. We drove down sixty-fifth, looking for the first apartment complex we saw. We stopped at two, showing the manager Jane's picture, before someone finally recognized her at the third.

The manager led us to a third floor apartment and unlocked the door for us. Emmett went in first with his gun out, causing someone to scream inside.

"Cullen, get in here!" he shouted at me.

I rushed through the door and saw a little boy cowered in the corner, his bright blue eyes wide eyed with fear. He was absolutely filthy and only had a pair of shorts to cover his tiny frame. His hair was auburn and fell into his eyes as he continued to stare at us. But there wasn't a scratch on him.

_Thank fucking God._

I slowly walked towards him and smiled comfortingly at him. "Hi. I'm Edward. You're safe now." He whimpered in response. "How old are you, buddy?"

"Free." His voice and his body shook violently.

"You're three?" He nodded. "What's your name?"

"Aiden."

I smiled at him. "I like that name, Aiden. Would you like to come with me and get a bath? Maybe let the doctor look at you and make sure you're not sick?"

"O-tay," he said shyly.

I picked him up with one arm and sat him on my hip. "Where's your mom and dad?"

He shrugged his shoulders but didn't answer.

We went back down to the car and Emmett drove us to the hospital. I kept Aiden next to me in the back seat and ran my fingers through his hair soothingly, just like I did to Eli. It seemed to help him relax and before I knew it, his eyes were fluttering closed and his head was lolling to the side. I gently pushed it to my chest and he took a long, deep breath, finally falling asleep.

"Emmett? Can you hand me your phone?" I asked quietly.

He handed me the phone and I dialed Bella's cell phone number, wincing in pain as my fingers moved over the buttons.

"Emmett?" she answered worriedly.

"It's me."

"Oh, my God! Edward! What happened?" she cried into the phone.

I closed my eyes and smiled at the sound of her voice.

"It's over, a ghrá."

***~***

**There will be an explanation on how Jane got Aiden later...it was just too long to keep going ;)**


	35. Chapter 35

**OK--Jane's reaction: people with schizophrenia don't react like your everyday Joe. Where most people would be shouting or in hysterics, Jane giggled. And I seriously saw a video of a guy doing that to his hair that suffered from paranoid schizophrenia. It looked...odd.**

**This chapter's long, but you get the story of Aiden as well as why he's actually been brought into the story...I have my fingers crossed that you guys like it :)**

**Thanks for all the reviews! I appreciate them soooo much! Also, sorry for the wait, RL has been a pain in the ass lately. Grr...**

***~***

Chapter 35

**Bella**

I sat in my room with my hands fluttering helplessly in front of me, anxious for Emmett to get here and take me down to the ER. My palms were slick with sweat and my heart was thudding loudly in my throat, no matter how hard I tried to stay calm or tied to will the threat of sheer panic away.

Sure, Edward had said it was just a flesh wound and cooed and soothed me in the way only he knew how on the phone, but it still didn't stop me from wishing I had the use of both my legs at the moment so I could pace a clichéd rut in the floor.

I wasn't going to be able to rid myself of the cold hands of fear that gripped me until I saw for myself that he was okay.

Jane was dead--gone. I never had to worry about her stalking us, trying to hurt us, or trying to take Eli from me again. My son was going to be able to come home, for good. The absolute elation I felt in that was marred. Edward was hurt--I was hurt. And some little innocent boy had been taken from his family, his life, in the process.

_Aiden._

Edward described Aiden as a sweet, terrified, three year old with an abundance of auburn hair and big, blue eyes. He said Jane had claimed he was _their_ son, even though he was much too young for it to be a possibility. But Edward and I both knew why Jane had kidnapped Aiden. With Edward's heritage, it wasn't improbable that his children would have red hair and cobalt blue eyes.

I shuddered with the disturbing thought.

I heard Emmett's loud voice booming through the hallway, causing my heart to almost stutter to a stop in my chest before resuming its furious pounding against my ribcage.

_"What do you mean, 'No'?" _Emmett roared from the hall. I could vaguely hear the voice of the nurse he was yelling at snapping back at him.

_"Her fiancé was shot. Get the fuck out of the way so I can get a wheelchair and take her downstairs."_

I heard some sort of racket and then my door opened seconds later, revealing Emmett pushing an empty wheelchair through the door.

"Couldn't you have hijacked crutches instead?" I asked, looking at the wheelchair scornfully.

"Nope. I barely even got this thing from Nurse I-Have-A-Stick-Up-My-Ass-And-Refuse-To-Pull-It-Out out there. Besides, what the hell are you supposed to hang your IV shit up to if you use crutches?"

"Damn. I didn't think about that. Okay, enough of this. Get me downstairs." I needed to see Edward.

He carefully lifted me out of the bed and helped me sit down without getting tangled up in my IV lines. Once I was settled, I silently grabbed Emmett's hand and motioned for him to come closer to my face. As soon as his head was within reach, I slapped him upside the head with as much strength as I could muster.

His face contorted in pain, then shock, as he straightened up and rubbed his head with his hand. "What the hell was that for?" he shouted at me.

"You said you wouldn't let him get hurt!" I shrieked. "And you did!"

"Jesus, Belly. It's not like I didn't ask him if I could take the shot and put Crazynuts out of her misery." He pushed me out of the room and into the hall.

"What?" I asked, perplexed.

"I asked Edward if he wanted me to take the shot after she fired a round into the ground. But he didn't want me to. You didn't see her, Bella. She was gone. There was no part of the girl Edward knew left in her. He felt sorry for her. Wanted to get her help if it was possible." He punched the button for the elevator. "Watching her--it was bizarre."

"That sounds like him," I muttered.

He chuckled dryly, a low rumbling sound in his chest. "Yeah. Sure as fuck does."

The elevators opened and Emmett pushed me inside, then hit the button for the main floor. He laid his head wearily back against the wall and closed his eyes while I just stared at the doors, feeling as if something was compelling me to hurry, urging me to get to Edward faster.

After what felt like an eternity in the elevator, the doors finally opened and Emmett wheeled me to the ER. We passed room after room, curtain after curtain, not stopping at any of them. By the time we got to the last trauma room in the large space, my entire body was vibrating with fear. My mind whirled with so many different questions; I was petrified of the answers to each one of them.

Emmett opened the door and pushed me through the threshold. As soon as I saw Edward lying in the bed next to Aiden, with doctors and nurses surrounding him, I lost it. The slippery hold I had on my composure was now gone. I low sob escaped from my throat as tears welled up in my eyes.

He opened his eyes with the sound, revealing the pain he felt in his jeweled orbs, and gave me a watery smile. He was pale and haggard, with deep purple shadows under his eyes. His shirt was gone and there was dried blood smeared down his arm and chest, making my stomach roll at the sight. I pushed it away and looked back to his face--his magnificent face--and sobbed again.

"Hey," he cooed. "I told you I'd be all right." The doctor did something to his shoulder, causing him to take in a sharp breath through his teeth. "Fuck," he mouthed silently.

The tears blurred my vision as I moved over to him. I reached out and latched on to his hand, burying my face against his thigh and cried uncontrollably as the panic settled over my skin, chasing away all rational thought.

He was here, he was safe, and we would finally get our lives back on track, and yet I was blubbering like an idiot. But I couldn't seem to stop. The relief, the joy, everything I'd felt earlier was gone; I could only feel the fear of losing him, feeding the hysteria.

He squeezed my hand tightly and waited for it to pass. I finally was able to look up at him, only to find him watching me with agonized eyes.

He swallowed thickly and clenched his jaw, taking in a deep, calming breath. "Please tell me you'll be all right, a ghrá."

I nodded weakly. "I'm sorry," I sniffled. "I don't know what just happened."

I could see the pain finally dissolve from his eyes as he examined me again. He took another deep breath and smiled affectionately at me. "You don't know how good it is to see your face."

I choked back the sob that threaten to escape me again. "You, too. I was so scared."

"I know," he whispered apologetically.

The doctor cleared his throat to get our attention. "You need to be taken to surgery now, Dr. Cullen."

Edward nodded and shifted on the bed. "Aiden?" he asked, looking at the boy. "Do you remember what I told you about Bella? That you'll be safe with her?" He nodded, his chin quivering. "I have to get my shoulder fixed now, buddy. So, you'll have to go sit with her for a little while."

I finally looked at Aiden--truly looked at him--and had to stifle a gasp. His eyes were a bright, piercing blue--just like Emmett's and Alice's. His thick hair fell into his eyes and was similar to Edward's, only Aiden's had more of a deep, reddish hue instead of the coppery tint that Edward's did. Even now, at only three, he was handsome.

I smiled warmly at him, and watched the freckles that spanned across his nose dance as he scrunched it up with his returning shy smile. He was absolutely adorable.

"Hi," I said pleasantly. "Do you like games, Aiden?"

"Yes," he said timidly.

"Me, too. Emmett brought a whole bunch of games up to my room yesterday. I bet he'll go up and get us some to play with while Edward gets fixed up." His eyes lit up. "Want to come with me?"

He nodded and hopped down from the bed, getting tangled up in the huge, green scrub shirt that someone had put on him. I reached over and bunched it up at the side, securing it with my ponytail holder, before sitting him on my good leg.

I rolled us over to Edward so that he could lean down and kiss me. What was supposed to have been quick and chaste, wound up being long and slow, deep with emotion.

He finally pulled away and skimmed his nose across my jaw, inhaling deeply against my skin. "I expect you to be in the recovery room when I get there," he teased.

"I will. You know I will." My chin started to tremble again, so I bit down on my lip.

"I love you," he whispered.

"I love you," I repeated back to him.

"Aiden's terrified of everyone," he said softly. "Make sure they all know that. I know Alice and Rosie will get offended if you don't." He grinned.

I laughed once. "Okay." I looked down at Aiden, who was fiddling with the ponytail holder on his shirt. "Where are his parents?" I asked so quietly, I could barely hear it myself.

Edward shrugged his uninjured shoulder. "I have no idea. Aro's at the station looking through the missing person files. Nationwide."

"Oh."

"It could be a couple days before he gets a match. And once he does, with protocol, it might take a little while to get him back home."

My brows knit. "Why?"

"They have to run prints and take blood for DNA to match it to the supposed parents before they'll take him back. Just to be certain," he explained.

It made sense. "Where's he going to stay?"

"They'll probably put him in foster care until they can find his parents."

"No they are not," I said heatedly. "Between everyone in your family, we can take care of him. I'll be damned if I ship him off to some home. He's been through enough as it is."

Edward laughed. "Ah, the Mama Bear has reared her ugly head and he's not even ours." I just gave him a sheepish look. "Speaking of ours, we get Eli back soon."

I smiled excitedly at him. "Yes, we do. I'm going to call Charlie here in a little bit. He should be off work in about an hour or so."

He nodded and looked over at the doctor, who was waiting impatiently for us to finish. "I'll talk to you more about it later."

"Okay."

"See you in a little bit, Aiden. Have fun playing games with Bella." He pushed his hair away from his eyes.

"O-tay," Aiden replied with a sweet smile.

"Bye," he whispered, leaning over and kissing my hair.

I wiped the tear that slid down my cheek. "Bye."

I watched them roll him away and was left feeling hollow feeling in the pit of my stomach that I knew wouldn't disappear until he was in recovery.

******************************

The minute hand on the large clock that hung over the desk in the family waiting room seemed to move backwards, almost taunting me. I'd played Candyland over and over--unable to understand why Emmett would bring such a simple game to a grown woman--before joining up with Aiden and helping him play Go Fish against Esme. Even though I kept myself occupied, my eyes involuntarily looked at the clock almost every minute, desperate for the time to come when Edward's surgery would be over and I would see him again.

Alice had gone to the gift shop and picked up something more suitable for Aiden to wear--something that actually fit. I worked to make Aiden feel a bit more comfortable with everyone, but the only person besides Edward and me that he talked willingly to was--unsurprisingly--Esme. Her nurturing personality, mothering nature, and innate charm seemed to make Aiden feel more comfortable.

The woman had a gift.

I got my phone out and dialed Charlie's number as I watched Esme and Aiden play with a puzzle that one of the nurses had found for him. It was so surreal, seeing them together. Almost as if I was getting a glimpse into the future--what it would look like when Esme played with her own grandson.

She made a silly face when Aiden tried to put a puzzle piece in the wrong spot, and I heard his laughter for the first time. The sweet, bell-like sound echoed through the room and warmed my anxious heart.

Charlie's gruff voice snapped me from my reverie and I grinned when I heard Eli's excited voice babbling in the background.

"Hey, Bells. I was just getting ready to call you and see how your leg is feeling."

I smiled. "It's okay, Dad. Just sore."

"Did you call to talk to Eli?"

"Yes and no. I need to talk to you first," I said casually.

"Shoot."

_Ironic._

I took a deep breath. "Dad? They got her." My voice cracked on the words.

I heard his relieved sigh over the phone. "Thank God. What happened?"

"Well, I...I don't know all the details yet." I took a deep breath, trying to keep the tears at bay. "They got a call about a woman with a gun in an alley and when the first unit responded, they recognized her as Jane and radioed for dispatch to call Aro and Emmett. They left with Edward, hoping he could talk some sense into her. She shot Edward in the shoulder and so of course-"

"They opened fire," he interjected.

"Yeah."

I still wasn't sure how I felt about that. While I was fervently thankful that we never needed to worry about looking over our shoulder, wondering if she would ever come back for us, I was also saddened that it had to end this way. It wasn't like she deliberately set out to hurt us; the disease had taken over her brain and any sense of reason she may have normally had.

"He's all right though, isn't he?" Charlie asked worriedly.

"Yeah. He's in surgery now. He says it was just a flesh wound."

"Good, good. So, when would you like your son back?" he laughed. "Because as much as I've enjoyed having him here, I'm worn out."

"Um, I can't really walk yet and Edward won't be out of the hospital for a while, so what do you think, about a week?" I asked uncertainly.

"No, I think that might be too soon. You two have a lot of healing to do before you can handle chasing Eli around. Thanksgiving is just over two weeks away, how about I bring him then?"

I missed Eli more than I could ever have imagined. I didn't know how much longer I could stand for him to be so far away. I looked around the room, debating on what to say back to Charlie, and stopped when my gaze fell on Aiden. He had been through so much because of us--because of Jane. He deserved to be taken care of until he was reunited with his family. And I couldn't describe it, but there was some strange connection I felt to him already.

I heard Eli's happy laughter in the background, cementing my decision.

"Yeah, all right. There's a few things going on here that I wouldn't be able to handle with Eli around anyway," I said, a little reluctantly.

"Like what?" Charlie asked curiously.

"Jane took a little boy and had him at some dirty apartment. He's scared of everyone except for Edward, me, and Esme. I feel like I should be there for him until they find his family. To make this as easy as possible on him, since he's only three," I explained. "Eli sounds like he's still really happy out there with you and Billy, so I kind of thought..." I trailed off sadly.

Charlie was silent for so long, that I was beginning to regret my decision.

"Bella," he said roughly, when he finally spoke, "you grew up to be such an amazing person. Your mother would be so proud of you. Hell, I'm proud of you."

My eyes stung with tears. "Dad," I said thickly. I had no idea what to say back. Things were so much different between us now than they were when I was a child. "Thank you," I managed to choke out.

"You're welcome." He cleared his throat. I could hear Eli begging to talk on the phone in the background. "All right," he said absently to Eli. "Your son is dying to talk to you," he said with a chuckle. "Hold on a sec."

"Mommy!" Eli squealed over the phone.

My face lit up at the sound of his voice over the phone. "Hi, baby. I miss you so much," I cooed.

"I miss you, too. And Edward. Guess what?" he hurried.

"Um, I don't know."

"Momma! Guess!" he giggled.

"Okay. Let's see. Grandpa Charlie got you a trombone and you're joining the Forks marching band?" I joked.

"No!" He laughed. "Better!" I started to say something else, but he barreled ahead. "Grandpa Charlie got me an Xbox and Aunt Angela got me Rock Band so I can play it while I'm here! I'm going to get so good, I'm going to beat Edward!"

I smiled broadly. "That is better than some stinky trombone. How's school?"

"Good. Momma? When can I go back to school in Chicago? I kind of miss Brayden."

"Well, how does two weeks sound?" I asked, unable to hide my excitement.

"You mean it?" he screeched.

"I mean it, baby. I would love to have you right now, but Edward and I got hurt so we have to get better before you come home. I want to be able to play with you when you get here."

"Yay!" He paused for a beat. "Momma, Grandpa Charlie says I gotta go and get washed up. He's making me spsgetti for dinner."

"Okay," I laughed. "Remind Grandpa Charlie that he has to stir the noodles."

"I will. Bye Momma!"

I was still grinning. "Bye, Eli. I love you."

"Love you!"

The click on the other end came just as the doctor came into the waiting room. "Mrs. Cullen?" he looked at me.

I wasn't arguing with that title. It sounded wonderful. "Yes?"

"The surgery went smoothly. I was able to remove the bullet and repair the damage without any complications. He'll need to stay in the hospital for a couple days and then will have to do a few months of physical therapy, but he'll make a full recovery. The bullet missed shattering the joint and I didn't see any nerve damage when I examined the entry wound. He was extremely fortunate."

There was a chorus of relieved voices from his entire family, echoing my own. As I listened to their excited murmurings, I idly wondered how my face didn't split in two with my smile.

"Thank you."

*****************************

**Edward**

I woke up, extremely groggy from the anesthesia, and tried to focus my gritty eyes. I blinked furiously and finally saw the miracle sitting next to me--Bella.

"Hey, sleepyhead." She was beaming at me and wiping the tears away from her eyes. "I swear, before this day is over, my eyes are going to be burning because I cried out all my tears."

I reached out and grabbed her hand, running my thumb over her knuckles. "But you're okay, right?"

The scene I'd witnessed just before I went into surgery flashed in my mind, breaking my heart all over again. Watching Bella's tiny body heave with her hysterical sobs was almost more than I could bear.

"They're happy tears, believe it or not. You're okay, I get these stupid tubes out of me tomorrow morning, and Eli's going to be home for Thanksgiving. And your surgeon assumed I was your wife. That was pretty nice." I watched the blush instantly spread through her cheeks.

"That does sound pretty nice. I might have to make that a fact instead of a false assumption soon." I lifted one side of my mouth in a smile.

"Really?" she asked in disbelief.

"Yep. I don't think I want to wait until summer to marry you. If there's anything I learned from this, it's that I don't want to waste any more time than necessary with this bullshit engagement. You're mine and I'm yours. I just need to make it official. Fuck, I'd do it now, but I don't think getting married while you're lying in a hospital bed is all that romantic," I teased.

"Ah, even all doped up, you're still a potty-mouth," she giggled.

"Yeah, I've gotten worse since Eli's been gone. I'm going to have to watch that again," I admitted. I looked at her seriously. "So, what do you think?"

"About getting married while you're lying in a hospital bed and I'm on crutches?" she smirked. "I don't really like that idea, actually."

I rolled my eyes. "Bella."

"When?" she asked, biting her lip.

I envisioned her walking down the aisle in a flowing white dress, smelling of the flowers she held, with her hair swept away from her perfect face. Her skin glowed an ethereal silver with moonbeams and her eyes were full of starlight, mirroring the canopy of twinkling stars we stood under. The dark, distinct shapes of mountains surrounded us, blackened by the night. Our family stood with us, watching us, as we joyously said our vows by candlelight.

"Vegas. New Year's Eve. Midnight. Under the stars," I said, still lost in the vision.

Almost as if she could see the exact thing that I was currently entranced in, she gasped softly. "Sounds perfect," she breathed.

"Yeah." I cleared my throat and shook myself of the daze. "How did Aiden do?"

"He didn't talk to anyone except to me and your mother," she answered. "I think she and Carlisle may take him home tonight."

"Good. What about tomorrow when you've been discharged, Mama Bear?" I asked lightly.

"I want to stay here with you, but I thought maybe I should take him to our house and..." She trailed off guiltily.

I squeezed her hand reassuringly. "He needs us, Bella. I don't know why, but I feel this need to protect him. Maybe it's because he reminds me of myself when I was little. But I think giving him some semblance of normal while he's away from his parents is the least we can do for him."

"So do I," she whispered quietly.

"Well, then I guess we've gained an extra kid for the next few days," I said with a grin.

"I guess we did." She looked around the room and then smiled at me. "How long do you have to be in here again?"

"About an hour." I gave her a strange look. "Why?"

She rolled the wheelchair closer and pushed down on the brake before she slowly got up. She started to hobble the few necessary steps over to the gurney, and I immediately reached out to steady her with my hand. She carefully climbed in the bed next to me, resting her head on my chest, and letting out a long, contented sigh as my arm wrapped around her.

"Bella, you could have ripped your stitches out," I reminded her gently, tracing patterns along her arm with my fingers.

"I know, but I need the reassurance. The heart monitor just wasn't doing it for me."

I hummed and kissed her hair, wincing a little at the pain the movement shot through my arm, before settling in for a deep, satisfying nap with Bella curled up at my side.

******************************

Bella was technically discharged from the hospital the next morning and given a set of crutches, but she didn't leave my side once. Esme brought Aiden in, and we played with him all afternoon. He opened up to us a little more, only trembling and becoming skittish when Jasper or Emmett came in. He even seemed to be more comfortable with Carlisle after spending the night at their house.

The days I was stuck in the hospital were pure torture. It was a revolving door of visitors, TV, checking my vitals, changing my dressings, and sleeping.

Could someone actually fucking die from boredom? Even with all the activity, I thought I might go stark-raving mad from looking at the same four walls and hallway for two days straight. I needed to get out of there before I started snapping at everyone. I could feel it sizzling in my blood, threatening to break free at any second. I ruthlessly kept it on a choke chain, but I wasn't going to be able to hold on to it much longer.

Bella limped around the room, checking to make sure we had everything ready to go and I couldn't take it anymore.

"Bella, sit down," I instructed, desperate to keep a lid on the frustration I felt for being cooped up like an caged lion.

"Edward, I don't want to forget anything. I let Aiden bring some of Eli's toys with him today and he'll be upset if he doesn't come home to everything just the way he left it," she argued.

"Christ, Bella. Just sit the fuck down," I snapped. "I can get it. You don't have to fucking do everything for me. I'm not a child."

She slowly stood up with the car in her hand and sent me a glare that almost had me cringing back against the wall. "Fine."

She hobbled across the room and sat down in the chair, crossing her arms over her chest and gritting her teeth in anger.

I ran my hand through my hair and sighed as I started picking everything up. I got all my clothes packed up and checked under all the furniture to make sure there were no runaway toys stashed under them. Satisfied that I'd gotten everything, I went to the window and looked outside while I played with the stitching on the sling I was wearing for my shoulder.

"I'm sorry I snapped at you like that," I said, watching the cars drive by outside.

"It's fine," she said shortly.

"No, it's not. I'm anxious and bored and ready to get the fuck out of here and go home. It's so bad, I want to scream at someone. For nothing, for everything. And you just happened to be right there." I looked back at her. "I'll be better once I get home and can look at something besides this hospital room."

"Are you sure?"

I nodded and went over to her. "Yeah," I said as I sat down on the armrest and leaned down so I could kiss her. "You've been so great the last few days, spending all your time here with me, and how do I repay you? I yell at you when you're just trying to help. I really am sorry."

"It's okay," she said softly. "I know how you feel."

"I'd imagine you do. Still want to marry me?" I asked with a grin.

"Of course. Even if you are a prick." She gave me a smile that was slightly wicked at the edges.

"Good."

I leaned down and kissed her softly, trailing my tongue over her lips, and listening to her sweet sigh as she parted them for me. We stayed locked like that, reveling in each other's taste, until Aiden came rushing over to us.

I gave him a beaming smile. "Hey, frog face. Ready to go back to the house?"

He grinned. "Yes. Can you pway 'Nopwy wif me?"

"Monopoly?" I questioned, looking down at Bella. "That's kind of hard for him isn't it?"

She shrugged. "He likes to hand out the money. He's got the colors down pat. Now we're just trying to get the numbers figured out. We play at night for a little bit when we go back home before I lay down with him in the guest room upstairs."

"Oh." I kissed her tenderly. "You are such a good mom," I whispered.

I got the pleasure of seeing her flush in embarrassment. "Thanks," she mumbled.

"I'd love to play Monopoly with you, buddy." His grin widened and he bounced around happily.

I signed my discharge papers eagerly, ready to be at home with my girl and sleep in my own bed. We managed to make it to the elevator and outside before one of us dropped something, making the first long, genuine laugh to burst out of me in days.

"Oh, God. We're a mess," I said, still chuckling.

"Yeah," she giggled. "We are."

We finally managed to get ourselves as well as everything else loaded into the car. I drove home, so that Bella could give her leg a break and was surprised to find Aro's car sitting in our driveway. I parked the car in the garage and then walked back outside to meet Aro.

"Edward. Do you have Aiden with you?" he asked curiously.

"Yes," I answered slowly.

"Do you need some help getting everything inside?"

"No, I'll just get it later. But thanks for the offer." I started towards the door. "Did you find something out about him? Is that why you're here?"

"I wanted to talk to you and Bella about it together if you don't mind."

"No, not at all." We got inside and saw Bella taking the little jacket Alice had gotten Aiden off of him. She looked between the two of us in confusion. "Aro wants to talk to us for a few minutes, baby."

"Oh, all right." She quickly made Aiden a cup of milk and then joined us at the table. "What's going on?"

"I finally got a match on Aiden. He was reported missing from a group home in Duncanville, Texas right around the time a missing persons report was filed on Jane," he said somberly. "His full name is Aiden Christopher Corrigan and he was born August 3, 2006 in Dallas."

Bella and I looked at one another with gaping mouths. "You mean he's an orphan?" I asked in bewilderment.

"Yes. His mother gave him up for adoption, but somehow, the adoption fell through. He's been staying at the Presbyterian Children's Home ever since."

"How did she take him? Aren't those kids safe?" Bella asked in irritation.

"He was outside playing. The woman who was watching them bent over to attend to another child's scraped knee and when she stood back up, he was gone." He gave Bella a kind smile. "It happens every day."

She nodded absently, staring over at where Aiden was digging Eli's cars out of the bag they'd brought to the hospital. I could see the turmoil of emotions in her eyes as she watched him play, making cute engine sounds and pushing the cars along the wall.

"So what now?" I asked Aro weakly.

"I have to get a blood sample and match it to his file before I take him back."

"No," Bella said fiercely as her head snapped up. "Edward-"

I cut her off. "I know, a ghrá." Her eyes filled with hopeful tears. "But are you sure about this? We don't have the first clue where to begin or how Eli will respond to this when he comes home."

"Edward, I know. But you said it yourself. He needs us. And I can't explain it, but I know he'll just _fit_."

I knew exactly what she meant. As soon as I saw him sit in Bella's lap in the trauma room, I felt something click into place, like everything we'd been through had led us to him. I didn't know what the fierce protective feelings I had for him were until right now. I hadn't ever been a huge believer in fate or destiny, but as I looked at the sweet little red-headed boy sitting in my kitchen, I couldn't deny it. Somehow, he was meant to be ours.

There was no way I was letting that little boy grow up in foster care.

"Aro?" I asked, leaning in. "What do you know about adoption?"

***~***

**And I stopped because I'm an evil bitch, lol**


	36. Chapter 36

**SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SUMMER NIGHTS REACHED OVER A THOUSAND REVIEWS!!!!! That literally makes me squeal with excitement! Thank you guys for all your reviews! **

**So we're getting into the HEA now. I've gotten a few questions about how many more chapters are left. I have a few things to address, one being Jacob's potential departure from Chicago, and have some loose ends to tie up. Right now, it's outlined for an even 40 chapters with an epilogue fast forwarding 10 years, but if I feel like it's rushed or I've crammed too much into it, I may add an extra chapter. You obviously know how I write by now; it just kind of hits me and I type it out.**

**I completely forgot to mention this on last chapter's A/N, so if you're not reading anything else I've got going right now, here it is. If you have, ignore ;)**

**I'm doing a collab and a one-shot for the Countdown to Christmas--Have Yourself A Smutty Little Christmas (the name says it all, hehe). It starts posting Dec 1st and will be 24 days of lemony goodness. The intro's already been posted. If you're interested, add it to your alerts.**

**Here's the link: http://www(dot)fanfiction(dot)net/s/5477548/1/**

**The adoption info is based on the IL website. If it's outdated, I apologize...I live in IN so we don't have the same adoption laws.**

**A lemony scene is ahead!**

***~***

Chapter 36

**Edward**

Thank God for Jasper Whitlock. He'd managed to come in and convince social services to leave Aiden with us, even though we weren't foster parents or involved with the system in any way, on the basis that he'd be traumatized enough with his kidnapping from the only home he'd ever known and that he'd lived in the detrimental conditions Jane and Felix had forced upon him for almost three months. He was skittish and scared, of men in particular, and Jasper testified that he'd seen a vast improvement in him in the last two weeks that he'd been with us.

Bella had her stitches removed and was now walking around without crutches, only limping occasionally. My shoulder was still sore as hell, and I was scheduled to start physical therapy just after Thanksgiving, something I was not looking forward to.

Alice was in and out of our house constantly, working with Bella on the wedding plans. She'd found a minister and the supposed perfect spot in a small valley just outside the city. They'd picked out flowers and all the other necessary arrangements. The only thing missing was Bella's dress, and they had plans for a fitting this weekend, since it was going to be an Alice Whitlock original.

I was completely amazed at my sister's ability to throw something so big together in a span of just two weeks.

I followed Bella into our adoption lawyer's office and sat in the seat next to her, shifting Aiden on my lap so that I could see J.D. Walker clearly.

"Well," J.D. said with an easy smile. "Let's get straight to it, shall we?"

We both nodded our assent, too nervous to speak aloud.

"You both have met each and every requirement of the adoption laws here in Illinois and in Texas." I heard Bella breathe a sigh of relief. "Except one. You're unmarried. Illinois law states that couples looking to adopt a child must be married for at least a year. Now, given the circumstances, we can most likely go to a judge and have that requirement waivered. You have a wedding date set for the very near future, and will most likely be married before we can even get the paperwork processed." He waited to make sure we understood before continuing. "Now, we can go that route or I can file the paperwork so that only one of you adopts Aiden now, and then you'll need to file the necessary paperwork after you've been married for a year so that both of you are legally his parents. It's your decision."

"What's your guarantee that a judge will waive the requirement of us being married?" I asked curiously.

He cocked his head, thinking about it. "I'd say about ninety percent. You two are excellent candidates as parents for him. He's already been observed to have taken very easily to the two of you. I don't see there being a problem."

I never even had to look to Bella for the answer. It was coming off of her in waves, saturating my mind and body. She wanted us to adopt him together, as a couple and a family.

"We want to try and get the requirement waived," I said evenly.

"Very well. Give me just a moment and I'll have the necessary paperwork drawn up for you to sign. I don't see why we can't file this afternoon and maybe we can get a decision before the Thanksgiving holiday." He smiled at us as he got up and left the room.

"Oh, God," Bella breathed nervously. "I thought my heart was going to pound out of my chest."

"I know how you feel," I grumbled.

"What if the judge says no?" Bella asked fearfully.

"Then we'll just start the process all over with only one of us applying to adopt him. He's ours Bella," I said comfortingly. "We just have to make it legal." I looked at her tenderly. "Surely after everything we've been through we deserve some sort of happiness. Wouldn't you think?"

She nodded yes. "You're right. It'll work out." She bit down on her lip. "Won't it?"

I chuckled. "Yes, a ghrá."

"I'm sorry, I'm just so scared we won't get approved. And the waiting is killing me."

"The wait won't be much longer," J.D. said as he came back in the room. "Most likely a few days before you hear the judge's decision. After that, he's yours. All you have to do is let the courts process the paperwork." He sat down and got a couple pens from his desk drawer. "If I didn't think you would be approved, I wouldn't let you file the appeal."

Bella seemed mollified with that answer and nodded. J.D. started flipping through the papers, explaining what each section meant and pointed to where Bella and I needed to sign and initial. As soon as we'd finished, he put the paperwork in a manila envelope and set it aside.

"Well," he said with a genuine smile, "without sounding premature, I'd like to tell you congratulations. You'll make excellent parents." His gaze flickered to Bella. "Again."

We shook his hand and thanked him, and we left feeling more at ease with the situation.

The afternoon was brisk and breezy, but not unbearable, so we decided to take Aiden to the park for a couple hours before we went home--since both of us were both off work and had nothing better to do.

I turned him loose and watch him run straight for the slide, stumbling over his feet and doing a face plant into the grass on his way there.

"Shit," I muttered, as I raced over to his side. "Hey, there, little man. You've got to be careful. Are you okay?"

He sniffled and a big tear rolled down his cheek. "No. Ai-en get boo boo."

"Ah, well, let me see it and I'll make it better," I cajoled.

Aiden held out his hand and I saw the reddened area on the palm of his hand where he'd scraped the skin as he landed. I wiped it carefully and blew on it to help relieve some of the stinging and then gave his palm a gentle kiss. I looked over his hand at his face and saw the wide grin spread in response.

"There, see? All better." I ruffled his hair. "Now, get out there and play. We'll be right over there watching you." I pointed to the bench that Bella was sitting at.

"O-tay."

I made sure he got to the play set before I turned away and walked back over to where Bella was sitting. I wrapped my arm around her and hugged her against my chest while she continued to stare wistfully in the distance.

"Bella? Baby, are you okay?" I asked worriedly.

"Yeah," she said, snapping out of the trance. "I'm fine. I was just realizing how incredibly wonderful you are as a father." I gave her a strange look. "I mean, you've always been great with Eli. And I know that both of us consider him to be ours, but it always just felt...I don't know. Like practice, maybe?" Her cheeks flamed with color. "I'm probably not explaining it right."

"Well, he's not practice, Bella. I feel just as strongly for him as I do Aiden. As I will any biological child we might have."

She shook her head with frustration. "That didn't come out right. I just worried that when we have our own children, that your feelings towards him might change. That you'd still love him, but it would be a different kind of love than you have for your child. But watching you with Aiden, I saw just how stupid that fear really was. You're their dad, regardless of how they came to you."

I nodded once. "I am. Which is the perfect segue for something I've been thinking about lately." She looked at me expectantly. "You're not on the pill anymore," I said bluntly, watching Aiden cross the bridge.

"No," she said softly. "With all the drugs they were pumping into me at the hospital, it didn't really matter if I started a new pack or not. My prescription hasn't expired if you want me to get back on it."

"I'd rather you didn't." I snuck a glance at her and saw her eyes were wide with shock. "My feelings on starting a family with you right away haven't changed, Bella. We're just doing things a little differently than we'd expected."

"Oh."

"If you don't want to take the chance of getting pregnant anytime soon, I'll understand. I'm not telling you that we have to have a baby now. I'd just...like to."

I watched Aiden tentatively walk over to another little boy and start playing in the sand with him. The scene suddenly changed, and instead of the strange boy playing in the sandbox with him, I saw Eli showing him how to build a sandcastle or helping him load sand into the back of a dump truck, both of them making puttering sounds and engine growls. The sweet sound of a baby cooing was in the background.

The proverbial happily ever after.

"Okay," she said resolutely.

I kissed her hair. "Okay."

* * *

Standing at the baggage claim at Chicago O'Hare, I thought I was going to explode with anticipation. Bella and I kept close watch on Aiden, but our eyes kept darting over to the terminal for the first sign of Eli and Charlie. Neither one of us could wait to see his lanky body come bounding over to us as he spotted us, grinning his huge smile the entire way. It had been almost a month since we'd seen him last, and as I sat there waiting for his flight to arrive, I idly wondered if he'd changed any--if his hair was longer, if he'd gotten taller, if some of the roundness of his face from his baby days had disappeared any.

_God fucking damn it, come on._

And just like the way I'd pictured it, he came running over to us and launched himself into each of our arms as soon as he saw us. He started to ramble about the plane ride, then stopped short at the sight of Aiden tugging on Bella's sleeve.

"Momma?" he asked, giving Aiden a quizzical look. "Who's that?"

She smiled nervously. "This is Aiden. We're hoping he'll be your brother soon." His eyes bugged out dramatically. "Is that okay?"

"I get a brother?" he squealed. "And I don't have to wait for him to come out of your belly?"

I chuckled. "No, not this time, squirt. We're trying to adopt him."

"Adopt?" he asked in confusion.

"He doesn't have a mommy or a daddy, so Edward and I are signing a bunch of papers so we can be his mom and dad," Bella explained.

"Wow," he said in awe as he walked over to Aiden. "Hi," he said happily. "I'm Eli. Your big brother."

Christ, I thought my heart would implode in my chest with joy at that exact second.

Bella nudged Aiden closer. "Can you tell Eli 'hi'?"

"Hi," he said shyly.

Eli pointed to the car in Aiden's hand. "Do you know who that is?" Aiden shook his head no. "That's Doc Hudson. He's Lightening McQueen's friend. He's a race car, too."

With that simple statement, we blended--molded--into a family of four. I didn't expect everything would be easy--there were bound to be a few fucking ups and downs--but things as they were now, were perfect.

I watched Bella crouch down and hug Eli against her body before kissing him lightly on the cheek and playing with the two of them as we waited for their bags to be loaded onto the carousel. I sensed Charlie walk up next to me and turned towards him.

"Looks like you've gotten yourself a family, Edward."

"Yes, sir," I replied with a genuine grin.

He nodded. "He looks a lot like you."

"He does," I agreed. It was uncanny, the resemblance Aiden had to me.

"He's not somehow yours anyway, is he?" Charlie's eyes bore into mine.

I resisted the urge to fidget nervously under his stare. "No, he's not." Charlie merely arched his brow so I continued. "He turned three in August. Do the math, Charlie. I was either already in Iraq or still training to be a Devil Doc when he was conceived. Regardless, I wasn't sleeping with anyone during that time, so it's impossible. Besides, I think I'd know if he was mine or not. I had a strong enough connection to him as it was, I'd like to think I'd have an even greater one if he was my biological son." I gave him a smug smile. "And when he had his blood drawn to determine that he _was_ in fact Aiden Corrigan, his DNA matched to the parents they have on file. _Both_ of them."

"But you don't know who they are."

I shook my head. "No. We're not allowed that kind of information. If Aiden wants to know who they are when he gets older, then we'll help him any way we can. Until then, I frankly couldn't give a shit."

He chuckled. "You're good for her, Edward. Even if you did bring a whole slew of crazy her way."

I was thrilled with his approval. "Thank you. I'm glad you think so because I plan to be around for a long, long time."

The carousel began moving and Charlie and I went to grab his and Eli's bags. I took Eli's heavy suitcase in one hand and sat it behind us, earning a disapproving grunt from Charlie in response.

"I may be injured, but I'm not an invalid," I said casually.

"Just don't want you to screw anything up," he mumbled.

"Thanks for the concern, but I'm fine. Honestly."

He nodded as he grabbed the last duffle bag and helped me load it onto the cart. Bella took Eli and Aiden's hands and led them behind us to Bella's car. As soon as everyone and everything was loaded up, I drove us home. I looked in the rearview mirror and noticed how cramped it was in the backseat with Aiden's large car seat and Eli's booster seat; there almost wasn't enough room for Bella in between them.

It looked like I would be replacing both of our cars soon.

We spent the rest of the evening watching Aiden get acquainted with Charlie and Eli. He would occasionally revert back to the jumpy, fearful little boy he was when we first found him, but like the missing piece to our lives that he was, his niche was with us.

Bella had gotten Charlie settled into the guest room upstairs while I helped Aiden change into his pajamas and brush his teeth. Eli came bouncing in what was now Aiden's room, grinning mischievously.

"What's up your sleeve?" I asked skeptically.

"Nothing. Edward, does Aiden have to call you daddy?" he asked curiously.

"Well, eventually he will, I suppose. But I think I'd rather him call me 'da' like Daideo called his father. And he'll call Bella 'mommy' like you do. Why?"

"Shouldn't we start teaching him?" I looked at him blankly. "To call you 'da' and Mommy, 'mommy'?"

"I'm not sure. Don't you think we should wait until we know for sure we're going to be his parents?" I asked, cocking my brow.

"No. He's ours. Right Aiden?"

Aiden gave Eli a sweet smile. "Yes." I had a feeling Aiden had no idea what we were talking about.

Eli took this as a sign to continue. "Edward's your da, Aiden. And my mommy's your mommy, too. We're brothers. Pretty cool, huh?"

Aiden grinned and looked at me. "Da?"

"Yeah, buddy. Da," I said warmly, feeling the love for him surge through my veins, and kissed the end of his nose.

The mischievous grin was back on Eli's face. Obviously, the daddy conversation had only distracted him.

"Edward? Can Aiden and I sleep together in my room? Like a sleepover?" He paused for a beat. "Please?" He drug out the 'please'.

I chuckled. "It's up to your brother."

_God, I loved the way that sounded._

"Want to sleep with me? We can camp out on the floor!" Eli said excitedly to Aiden.

"Yeah!" Aiden hopped up and raced out of his room with Eli.

I chuckled and started to get up, but stopped when Eli came skidding to a halt at the door way. He bit his lip nervously and looked everywhere but where I was sitting.

"Hey, brat," I teased. "Quit chewing on your lip before you bite it off." He slowly released his bottom lip from his teeth. "What's the matter?" I asked with a laugh.

"Aiden's going to call you 'da'. What do I call you?"

I almost choked on my tongue. "Um, Edward's fine."

He looked sad. "There's nothing I can call you, too?" Bella quietly came and stood behind him.

"Uh, well, I really don't know." I could feel my face heating up in embarrassment. I looked up at Bella who was silently watching our exchange with wide eyes. "Um, I-I mean," _Fuck,_ "would your dad be mad?"

"Oh, I don't know." He looked so forlorn. I couldn't stand it.

_God damn it, I hope I don't fuck everything up with this_.

"Eli?" He looked up at me. "You can call me 'da', too."

He beamed at me. "You mean it?"

"Of course I mean it." I motioned for him to come to me with my hand. "Get over here."

He rushed over and gave me a hug, knocking me back and causing the nerves in my shoulder to twitch violently with pain but I didn't give a shit. Eli accepting me as his father was more important to me than my aching shoulder.

I kissed his hair and held him against me. "I love you, buddy."

"I love you, too, Da."

My heart leapt in my chest. It was one of the best things I'd ever heard in my thirty years, second only to Bella's first 'I love you'.

* * *

**Bella**

Edward and I put the boys to bed in Eli's room, and shut the door, listening to their giggles and chattering begin as soon as it latched. We went downstairs, hand in hand, and started getting ready for bed.

After I'd brushed my teeth, I looked over at Edward and grinned. "What now, Da?"

He turned to face me, grinning from ear to ear. "Doesn't matter. Are you tired?"

"Not really."

He nodded, never breaking eye contact with me. We stood at a standstill, just staring at each other as the temperature of the room slowly rose, making me flash with heat. I took a hesitant step closer to him and felt the electricity flow between us and my heart pummel my ribcage. His eyes darkened as he raked my body appreciatively, eyeing the little satin number I'd innocently put on earlier.

Or maybe it wasn't so innocent. It had been almost three weeks since we'd had sex and I had to admit, I was a little desperate for it, for the feel of Edward's skin against mine and the taste of his mouth...

Something inside me snapped. I didn't care that Charlie was upstairs asleep. I didn't care that Eli and Aiden were most likely still awake, playing together on the floor instead of trying to sleep. I didn't care that my leg was still tender to the touch or that Edward only had the use of one hand. I wasn't sure if it was because of the amount of time that had passed since I'd last felt him against me, or if it was because my hormones were jumping all over the place now that I wasn't taking any form of birth control. Whatever it was, it didn't matter. Because at that exact moment, I needed nothing else but Edward.

"How's your leg?" he asked, swallowing convulsively.

"Fine," I whispered.

"Good."

In one long stride, he'd closed the distance between us and had cupped the back of my neck to pull me into a passionate kiss. His lips were demanding against mine, his tongue probed deeply as his hand grazed across my shoulder and gently pushed the strap of my nightgown down. He brushed his fingers along my collarbone as he made his way to the other side, repeating the action, and smiled against my mouth as the nightgown landed on the floor with a soft whooshing sound.

I wanted his shirt off, needed his shirt off, but was unable to do anything with it since his arm was in the sling. I fisted it in my hands in frustration, moaning into his mouth as he pinched and rolled my nipple with his fingers.

He broke away, scowling, and pulled the sling off his arm in one quick movement; his shirt immediately followed it. He carefully moved his arm so that he could cup the back of my neck again and pull me into another long, insistent kiss while his other hand roamed my body, tracing the contours of my breasts and hips before he tugged at my panties and pushed them down to my ankles.

I stepped out of them just as his hand went between my legs, stroking the damp skin there. He nipped and sucked on my lips as I fumbled with his boxers, finally getting them down his hips and feeling his dick bounce lightly against my stomach.

"Counter, Bella. Now," he growled.

We turned, our lips never parting, and I raised myself up so that I was sitting on the counter. His hands pushed my legs apart while his lips broke away from mine, moving down my neck and to my collarbone, licking the skin there slowly, before continuing down my body.

"Put your feet on the counter," he murmured against my breast.

"What?"

"Put your feet on the counter," he demanded harshly, grabbing my feet and putting them on the edge of the counter.

His fingers skimmed up my legs as he looked me over, grinning wickedly. "That's much better. Now I can see you."

I whimpered and threw my head back against the mirror the moment his tongue flicked my clit, sending a white-hot streak of pleasure racing through my veins.

"Edward," I moaned, taking my lip between my teeth.

"Fucking hell, baby. You taste so good. I could do this all day," he said thickly.

"N-" My words were cut off as soon as he put his fingers inside me.

I could feel my release coming on fast and hard. I pushed into him, urging to move faster. He curled his fingers inwards and bit down on my clit, causing me to erupt into a blinding orgasm. I thought he'd let me come down, but instead, he kept working my body, humming against me and causing me to come again.

Satisfied with himself, he stood up and wrapped his arm around me, sitting me on the floor and spinning me around.

"I want to watch your face in the mirror when I fuck you," he said, pressing his dick into my ass.

I groaned and reached behind me, grabbing his waist and pulling him closer to me. "Now, Edward. Please," I pleaded.

He pushed my legs apart further and bent me over the counter as he slowly entered me, moaning indecently as he did.

I started to close my eyes but was stopped by Edward placing a quick, painless slap on my ass. I looked at him behind me in the mirror and saw the sinful grin stretch across his face as his eyes flashed darkly.

"Watch," he commanded, bending down and grazing his teeth across my shoulder.

His motions were long, fluid, as he moved deeply inside me. He gradually changed the tempo, speeding up so that I had to press my hand against the mirror to brace myself. He hovered over me, stroking my back and kissing trails along my spine, looking at us over my shoulder the entire time, as he continued to thrust in and out of me.

He shifted, pressing his chest against my back and placing his hand over mine on the mirror. Our bodies bounced together as he drove into me harder, faster. I watched him in the mirror, noticing how incredibly beautiful he was, and as soon as our eyes met, I lost it. I came quick, pulsing violently around him and felt him start to let go.

His eyes blackened and his jaw clenched as he pushed into me one final time, grinding my name out between his teeth in a shout as he pulsed inside me.

He rested his head on my shoulder, and he traced his thumb over my knuckles as we both struggled to control our breathing.

He turned his head and placed a gentle kiss on the hollow at the base of my throat where my pulse was still thrumming against the skin.

"Think we made a baby?" he asked, smiling against me.

"We'll just have to see."

* * *

"Bella! Edward!" Alice came running to the door as soon as we walked inside. "Where is he?"

"Right here," I laughed, moving out of the way so she could see Eli.

"Eli!" she squealed, beaming at him. "Oh, I missed you! Did you have fun with your grandpa Charlie?"

"Yeah. Aunt Alice, will you play Monopoly with me while Mommy and Da help Mamó cook dinner? You have to help Aiden."

"I'd love to play Monopoly with you. Go set it up in the living room and I'll see if Uncle Emmett and Uncle Jazz want to play, too."

"Yay!" Eli grabbed Aiden's hand and took off to the living room.

"Da?" she asked Edward, looking at him curiously.

He shrugged nonchalantly. "I am, aren't I?"

"Pretty much, yeah. Jacob's worthless. I swear-"

"Alice." Edward cut her off harshly.

I looked between them in confusion, trying to figure out what it was I'd missed but was interrupted by Esme coming into the foyer.

"There you are," she said, relieved. "I could use a professional's help."

"Sure," I said lightly. "Lead the way."

She took my hand and looked at Edward and Charlie behind me. "Nice to see you, Chief Swan. Make yourself at home!"

We were spending the entire day at Carlisle and Esme's for Thanksgiving. The women were expected to help Esme with dinner preparations and decorating, while the men were expected to entertain the boys and watch football. Apparently, the Cullen men were huge Notre Dame fans.

The Fighting Irish--go figure.

"I know you're not a pastry chef, but I was hoping you could work on the turnovers and pies while I start everything else. The turkey's already in the oven, and I've got the timer set so we can baste it every hour." She handed me a list. "I'm sorry, I'm a mess. I'm running behind."

I wrapped one arm around her in a quick hug. "It's okay. We'll get it all finished in time."

She patted my arm and nodded. "You're right. I just want it all to be perfect. It's your first Thanksgiving with us and I want it to be special for you and Eli. And Aiden now, too. I'm also hoping Charlie feels welcome enough to join us each year." She looked at me, a little misty eyed and smiled. "I have grandkids. Thank you, Bella."

I laughed. "You're welcome. But I didn't have that much to do with it. Edward accepted Eli as his own and we both feel extremely fortunate to have found Aiden."

She dabbed her eyes with her fingers. "I'm so happy that you guys decided to adopt him. I'm not even going to push for you and Edward to have a baby any time soon. If you never do, that's fine with me."

I gave her a sly grin. "Actually, Esme, we're hoping that we would have a baby in the next year or so."

She gasped. "You're kidding!"

I shook my head and giggled. "No. I'm not really worried about when it happens, but I think your son wants it immediately. Like, wishing I was already pregnant, immediately."

"I knew I loved him for a good reason," she teased.

Esme and I continued to talk as we worked on dinner and were eventually joined by Alice and Rosalie, even though Rosalie couldn't cook to save her life. I had to constantly correct her mistakes and keep a steady eye on what she was doing so that she didn't burn or ruin anything, which eventually got on her nerves.

"All right, damn it. Bella, leave me alone or I'm not helping anymore," she said with a laugh.

"Well, if you'd quit screwing up, I wouldn't be hovering over you. I mean, damn, Rosie, how hard is it to mix a freaking pack of cranberry Jell-O together and put the diced fruit in it? I gave you the simplest thing and you still messed it up!" I giggled.

She flicked the spoon at me, splattering cranberry Jell-O all over my face.

My mouth opened indignantly and I threw my spoon at her. "Bitch!"

"All right, girls. I know you're just kidding around, but I'd rather my kitchen not be covered in maroon colored goo at the end of the day," Esme chided.

We both gave her an apologetic look. "Sorry, Esme," I mumbled.

She grinned. "Why? I love the fact that you fit so nicely into the family. Just don't destroy my house."

We'd gotten everything finished just as four-thirty rolled around, which was exactly when Esme wanted to eat. Alice and Rosalie started lighting candles and getting everyone drinks while Esme started carrying the food to the huge table she had set up in the formal dining room.

I was currently working on mashing the potatoes, when I felt Edward's strong arm wrap around my waist and rub absent circles on my stomach as he nuzzled my neck.

"I'm starving," he whined. "Hurry it up."

I gently elbowed him. "It's finished, I've just got to mash the potatoes. Why don't you be the gentleman I know your mother raised and help her carry the food into the other room."

"I'm not a gentleman," he chuckled. "I'm a prick. You've told me on more than one occasion, baby."

"Ha, ha," I said dryly.

He gave me a quick kiss and snuck a potato out of the colander. I reached out to grab it away from him, but he popped it in his mouth and danced away from me agilely, snickering as he did.

"They need salt!" he called out behind him.

"Needs salt my ass," I muttered.

I whipped the potatoes and carried them into the dining room. I took my place next to Edward and no sooner than my butt hit the chair, Emmett was grabbing bowls of food and dishing huge portions out onto his plate before he passed them to Rosalie.

We all finally got served, and Edward and I focused on getting Eli and Aiden's food cut up quickly so that we could eat ourselves. Edward took one bite of his turkey and was interrupted by his cell phone ringing in his pocket. He pulled it out, intent on hitting the 'Decline' button, but instead hastily put the phone to his ear and answered it.

He put his finger in his ear to hear better, before finally getting up and leaving the room. I pushed my food around my plate, checking the doorway occasionally for the first sign of Edward, until he finally came back into the room.

As he came closer to me, I saw he had tears in his eyes. He wiped them with the back of his hand and sat down, grabbing the back of my neck and kissing me fiercely in front of his whole family.

I finally managed to get my wits back and pulled away from him. "What's going on?" I asked breathlessly.

His eyes swirled with emotion as he looked down at me. "That was J.D. The judge waived the marriage requirement yesterday and the paperwork's being processed as we speak. Aiden's officially our son."


	37. Chapter 37

**Yes, it's an early update of SN!!! I'm trying to purge the story out of my system so I can focus on BTSATM and MWCBM and I'll be going out of town over the weekend for my anniversary (7 years baby!) and will be going to the Colts/Patriots game--go Colts!--so I wanted to get this out before I left so that I can work on my collab for the Christmas countdown over the weekend...it's due in two days, yikes! Anyways, just had to get that out there...lol**

**Thanks for the reviews!!! **

**I'm really excited to almost be to the epilogue, since it's pretty much taken over my brain in recent days, but I'm going to be so sad to click that complete box when I do. Anyways, enjoy the chappie...I've posted links to all the wedding details on my profile, cause I know how some of you love to see it yourselves ;)**

**Oh, and I'm getting a wee bit frustrated with the doc manager. I'm trying to keep everything in the same format for this story, but it keeps throwing lines in between sections instead of the astricks. Weird...**

***~***

Chapter 37

**Edward**

_Our son._

After a month, it still seemed so fucking surreal that the little boy I was currently playing Duplos with was my son. Aiden was blossoming before our eyes. He was smart--exceptionably smart--and so funny. He would pick up on things and say them at the oddest times, almost purposefully. Like he knew exactly what our reaction would be when he said it--and I imagined he probably did.

Aiden took to Eli right away. After Eli would leave in the mornings for school, his sleepy-eyed brother would search the house for him and then pout when he realized he was at school. The two weekends Eli had spent at Jacob's was even worse for Aiden. He cried at the door for almost an hour the first time Eli left with his dad and Bella and I had tried everything we could think of to calm him down and explained why Eli had to leave, but unfortunately, he didn't understand. We finally took him over to my parents house to play for a few hours so that he had something to take his mind off the fact that he missed his new brother while he was away.

Bella and I had opted not to put Aiden in preschool yet, even though he was old enough to begin in the three and four-year-old classes. We wanted to give him that extra year to adjust to life not only outside of the home, but as a Cullen before we added the pressure of school and unfamiliar teachers and children.

Jacob hadn't mentioned anything about moving, and I was reluctant to say anything to Bella in case the moron had changed his mind. The only other person who knew of Jacob's visit to the hospital so many weeks ago was Alice, and that was only because I needed someone to talk to about it while Bella was recuperating in the hospital. When the dust settled at our feet and I could finally focus on something other than Jane, I realized how extremely angry I was that Jacob could even think of leaving Eli. I suppose the day he came to talk to me, it hadn't really hit me. But when it did, it hit fucking hard and I had to talk to someone so that I didn't lose my mind.

I wished that person was Bella, but I didn't feel it was my place to say the first word. And with everything going on--the two of us being on the mend and Aiden--no time actually seemed like the right time to say, 'Hey, Jacob's moving back to Forks. We get Eli full-time now'. Which was probably going to be a huge mistake on my part.

The doorbell rang, abruptly pulling me away from my thoughts. I stood up and surveyed the destruction of our living room while Bella answered the door.

Jacob came waltzing into the house and looked around. "Wow."

"Yeah. Between Eli's birthday presents and Christmas, it's a mess," Bella said with a grin.

"That's what happens when you go into labor on Christmas Eve, baby," I teased.

She pouted. "He was late. If he'd been on time, I wouldn't have this problem every year." She looked at him, the pout never leaving her face. "I can't believe he's six already."

The entire living room was scattered with empty boxes, bows, wrapping paper, and gift bags. There were toys littering the floor where the boys had dropped them, leaving them where they landed, and started playing with something else. It was evidence of the best Christmas I've ever had.

"Can I talk to both of you for a sec?" Jacob asked nervously.

Here it is.

Bella looked at me in confusion, and I nodded encouragingly in response. "All right. Want to go to the kitchen?"

"Sure."

We all went into the kitchen for what I assumed would be the big announcement of Jacob's departure. Bella and I sat across from him, and I draped my arm around her and held her close. She gave me a funny look, clearly wondering why I was already comforting her, but I ignored it. She'd know soon enough.

"So, I guess you know why I wanted to talk to you," Jacob started uncomfortably.

"I do," I answered. "Bella doesn't. "

"What?" She pulled away from me with a fearful expression. "What don't I know?"

"I'm moving back to Forks," Jacob said stoically.

"You're what?" she screeched. "Why?" She held up her hands when Jacob started to speak. "Wait. You knew about this?" she asked me incredulously.

I nodded. "He came to the hospital to talk to me about it the morning Jane took you." I could see the anger burning behind her eyes. "I didn't feel it was my place to talk to you about it, and even if I did, I wasn't sure if he was going or not. It's been six weeks and he's never said anything to you. What was the point of pissing you off if he wasn't going to do anything about it? And let's face it, we've both been extremely pleased with the little happy bubble we've been living in the last month. I wasn't about to burst it."

She nodded curtly. "I get it. But I'm not happy about it."

"I didn't think you would be," I chuckled.

She slapped my playfully on the stomach. "Don't laugh. You're in the doghouse." She turned to Jacob. "And as for you, why? How could you leave your son?"

"Bella, I know that you'll tell me that any reason I give you isn't good enough, but this isn't my home. This is your home, Eli's home. But it's not mine. Not only that, but that weekend we spent in Seattle, I found someone. I found someone that looks at me the way you look at Cullen," he said passionately.

"You're dating someone? Who?" she asked disbelievingly.

He laughed to himself. "Leah Clearwater."

"Leah Clearwater?" Her entire face registered the shock she felt before it quickly morphed to fury. "You're leaving Eli for that bitch?"

"Bella," he warned. "She's not a bitch." She stared evenly at him. "Not anymore, anyway. And I'm not leaving Eli. I'll still see him on holidays and during his breaks from school."

"The hell you will," she said heatedly. "There's no way you're walking out on him and then expecting Edward and I to give up any kind of family time with him so that you can see him during his Christmas breaks or summer vacations. You're not taking that time away from us. How are we ever supposed to go on family vacations or take him to see Charlie if you're hogging each break he gets?" I could see the rage simmering in her blood, so I gently rested my hands on her shoulders, urging her to calm down. "You selfish asshole. I-" She cut herself off.

We sat in silence for a few minutes while Bella processed what this meant for Eli. I kept my arm around her shoulders, and took her other hand in mine, rubbing small circles on her palm with my thumb.

She watched my motions and eventually laid her head against my chest as she sighed in resignation. "When are you leaving? Will you at least be here for his school's winter play next month?"

"Yeah. I plan on moving right after. I didn't want to miss it," he said quietly.

Bella snorted. "Right," she said sarcastically.

"Bella, I'm sorry. But I hope we can work something out. I want to be able to have a life but still be involved with Eli as much as I can," he said earnestly.

"How can you be involved with him when you're two thousand miles away?" She tensed up in my arms slightly as her line of thinking changed. "You of all people know what it's like to live without a parent. We both know what it's like to grow up wishing they were still around."

"It's not the same," he argued.

"No, it's worse. Because our mothers didn't _choose_ to leave us behind. He's going to hate you for this," she whispered.

I could feel her silent sobs shake her body against me. "Sweetheart? Are you okay?" I breathed in her ear.

She suddenly pulled away from me and stood up. "Yeah. I'm going to tell Eli to have a good time with Jacob today and then I'm going to lay down. Can you get his stuff ready?"

"Sure."

She left the room without another sound.

"You're making a mistake," I said to Jacob tersely.

"Maybe," he conceded. "But I have to go."

I grabbed Eli's shoes and his jacket and took them to the living room so that he could slip them on while Jacob started the truck. I gave him a quick kiss and watched as he clambered inside and shut the door.

As soon as they'd pulled out of the driveway, I went into the bedroom and found Bella curled up into a ball on her side of the bed. I crawled in next to her and took her in my arms, nuzzling my nose with hers.

"Are you sure you're all right?"

She nodded. "I guess I'm just sad that Eli's life is going to change. He didn't ask for this," she said quietly.

"No, he didn't. But he has you and he has me. He's got a new brother and he's back in school with his friends. He'll be fine. We'll make sure he's fine," I said soothingly.

"I can't believe you knew about this and didn't tell me. I thought you promised you'd tell me everything from now on."

"I'm sorry. It's not like I intended to keep it from you. I just didn't know how to say it. Or if there was even reason _to_ say it," I said regretfully.

_"Mommy? Da?"_ Aiden called out from the living room.

"In here, frog face!" I shouted back.

I could hear his little feet pattering on the floor as he came running into the bedroom. He climbed up onto the bed and looked down at Bella and me, grinning happily. I pulled him down and started tickling him, enjoying his breathless giggle when I found his most ticklish spot on the side of his ribs.

I stopped and let him catch his breath, beaming at him. I flipped him so that he was on the other side of me and leaned in to whisper in his ear.

"Aiden? Do Da a favor. Tell Mommy not to be mad at me, okay?"

He nodded and sat up, crawling over to Bella and taking her face in his chubby hands. "Don' be mad a' Da," he commanded.

I chuckled and pulled him against my chest, kissing his auburn hair. "How can you argue with such a sweet face?" I asked Bella, who was rolling her eyes and fighting her smile. "Our son is a very wise little boy," I joked. "You should listen to him."

"Fine," she said in mock exasperation, "I'm not mad at you."

"Good," I said smugly and leaned down to kiss her softly. "But seriously, I'll make it up to you."

"How?" she asked, smiling against my lips.

"Think of something. I'll do whatever you want."

"Hmm, I like the sound of that," she said coyly.

I flashed her a crooked grin. "I figured you would."

* * *

"You sure about this, Cullen? You can always back out," James said jokingly as we all made our way downstairs to the Bellagio casino.

We'd been in Las Vegas for three days. I showed Bella and the boys the sights and even drove them to Lake Mead; Eli thought the Hoover Dam was great. Then, as soon as the boys were fast asleep, we'd leave them behind with the designated babysitter for the night, and I'd take her out. I took her dancing and to see 'Love' and we hit every casino on the strip. I couldn't give Bella a honeymoon right away, since neither of us were comfortable leaving Aiden for a long period of time yet, but I could give her a few nights of fun before I made her mine.

I rolled my eyes. "I'm sure. I'm marrying Bella tomorrow and there's not shit you can say to change my mind."

"All right, but maybe we should come up with some sort of signal, just in case. Like if you tug on your left ear, that means you're ready to bolt." He grinned at me.

"I am sorely tempted to break your nose right now," I mentioned offhandedly.

"Whatever," he said, waving me off.

"Where'd the girls say they were meeting us again?" Jasper interjected.

"Blackjack tables," Emmett answered.

We got into the elevator and went down four floors before they opened to reveal four incredibly gorgeous girls. They quietly stepped in and faced the elevator doors as they closed. One of them twisted around slightly and raked my body up and down appreciatively before finally settling her gaze on my face.

"Hi," she said with a sexy smile.

"Hi," I said with a polite nod.

"Better find another guy to flirt with sweetheart, this one's taken," Jasper said, nudging his head towards me.

She looked back at me and grinned devilishly. "I don't see a ring."

"There will be as of tomorrow," I said with a wink.

"So, that makes this your last night of bachelorhood, huh?" She turned around so that she was completely facing me now.

"If you want to look at it like that, yeah."

She took a step closer and put her hands on my chest. "Don't you want to go out with a bang?" I heard Emmett choke in the background.

"A bang?" I repeated, cocking my brow. "How am I supposed to do that? I'm not allowed to see the bride before the wedding." I leaned in and nipped her earlobe. "Because if we're going out with a bang, a ghrá, it's going to be an all-nighter," I whispered roughly.

Bella stepped back and slapped my chest. "Damn it, baby, you broke character," she laughed.

"I find it a little hard to imagine that you're someone else because there's no one else for me," I said seriously. "And then you come in here looking look like that," I said, eyeing her sleek black dress. "I just want to rip that sexy fucking dress off with my teeth." I captured her mouth with mine and kissed her deeply as my fingers skimmed over the incredible dress.

"Ew, come on, guys. I'm standing right here!" Alice had her hands on her hips and was glaring at us.

"Get over it, Al. Bella and I," I paused dramatically, "we have sex. _Lots_ of sex. Steamy, sweaty, dirty, sometimes kinky and voyeuristic-"

She launched herself towards me and put her hand over my mouth. "Stop it, Edward. I'm not listening to anything else."

"If you insist," I mumbled against the palm of her hand.

She slowly released my mouth and waited for me to say something else. Satisfied that I wasn't going to say any more she moved back over to where Jasper was standing.

"I didn't know you were such a prude, little sis," Emmett said with a grin.

"I'm not! I just don't like to hear about my brothers' weird sexual preferences. Because I know you two, you're not the type to go for plain old, boring missionary sex every night."

"No, but it does have its advantages," Emmett said thoughtfully.

The doors opened and we all exited the elevator, heading straight for the blackjack tables.

I wrapped my arm around Bella's waist. "How are the boys?" I asked over the clinking of the slot machines.

"They're fast asleep."

"Who's watching them?" I maneuvered us around a group of drunk college kids.

"All three of them," she answered, referring to my parents and Charlie.

"Why?"

She shrugged. "I don't think any of them wanted to relinquish babysitting duty tonight, so they all are doing it."

I chuckled. "They act like they're going to disappear."

"I know, it's kind of cute. Especially for Charlie," she laughed.

We played a few rounds of blackjack, then followed James over to the craps tables, where he sidled up next to some blond and flirted with her the entire time. After a few rounds, he whispered something in her ear and they walked off together to cash in their chips and I assumed to then spend the night together.

"I can't believe he's going to fuck that girl," Jasper said, shaking his head.

"Why? It's typical James behavior," I replied.

"Because." He grabbed my shoulders with his hands and shook me slightly. "Did you see the ass on that girl? It was like she brought the funhouse mirror with her, dude!"

I burst out laughing because, unfortunately, he was right. "Fuck, Jazz. If I were James, I'd be afraid that if I slapped it, it'd cause some sort of nuclear explosion."

"No, no, more like an implosion, sucking us in like a fucking vortex," he snickered.

We were laughing almost hysterically, holding on to each other so we didn't fall over.

Bella's mouth fell open. "She wasn't _that_ big!"

"Baby, did you not see how much bigger her ass was compared to the rest of her body?" I asked, wiping the tears from my eyes. "It was insane!"

She grabbed both of our drinks from our hands and plopped them on the table next to us. "You're both cut off." She looked at her watch. "And it's late. I'm going to bed."

"I'm coming with you," I said, waving goodbye to Jazz.

"You're not allowed to see me tomorrow," she reminded me.

"I know," I sighed. "But I'm not staying down here without you."

She grabbed my face and kissed my cheek. "That's sweet."

"Why, thank you, Mrs. Cullen," I said, pressing the button for the elevator.

"I'm not yet."

"No, but as of midnight tomorrow night, you will be." We stepped inside the elevator and I took her in my arms, brushing the hair away from her face while she reached over and pressed the appropriate buttons. "I can't wait."

"Neither can I."

* * *

**Bella**

"Wake up!" Alice yelled, shaking me gently.

I groaned. "Go back to your pot of gold," I mumbled sleepily.

I heard Rosalie's laughter echo throughout the room. "That's not funny! Come on! We have to be at the spa in thirty minutes!" Alice screeched.

"Okay, fine. I'm up, I'm up," I muttered, throwing the covers back and sitting up. I looked around the room, squinting with the bright light. "Where's Angela?"

"Playing with your son," Rosalie said sweetly. "She's in love with him."

"Ah, Aiden is a cutie, that's for sure." I got up and stretched. "Why are we going to the spa at nine am when I'm not getting married until midnight?"

"Because, we still will have to eat, get dressed, and drive to the wedding location," Alice said in a tone like it was obvious. "Plus, there's pictures."

"I thought you said it was just outside the city."

"Um, I may have fibbed just a little." She fidgeted with her hands nervously.

I stared at her. "How little?"

"You're actually getting married in California?"

I laughed once. "You've got to be joking."

"It's only two hours away. We can leave here at eight and get there in plenty of time. It's perfect, Bella. Trust me. You'll love it!" She grinned at me.

"Well, let's go. I apparently have eleven hours worth of God-only-knows-what planned for me. Might as well get to it," I said, grabbing my toiletry bag and heading for the shower. "Can I let my hair air dry?"

"Yep. That would be perfect, Bella." Rosalie's voice was right at my ear.

I whirled around and jumped back, surprised that she was standing right behind me. "Jesus, Rose. You scared the hell out of me."

"Don't shave."

I blinked. "What?"

"Don't shave," she repeated firmly. "Just trust me."

"Aw, Rosalie, if you've set me up for some stranger to torture me all day, I'm going to be pissed!" I turned on the shower and roughly slammed the heavy glass door.

"Edward will love it, I promise." She fluttered her eyelashes. "Just get your shower and get dressed so we can go. I'd rather Alice not go all _Leprechaun_ on our asses today." She mimed some sort of scary ghost. Or maybe it was a zombie.

I sighed. She used the Edward card. "Fine. You owe me."

"You might change your mind about that that once he sees it." She winked and walked away.

I took my shower, kissed the boys, and headed down the spa with Alice, Rosalie, Angela, and Esme. Every inch of me was scrubbed, sloughed, massaged, and manicured. When I could, I munched on fruit and the hors d'oeuvres that would occasionally pass me by while sipping on champagne, although, I had to watch my alcohol intake so that I wasn't inebriated for my own wedding. And as promised, I left the spa completely hair free and still smarting.

It wasn't an experience I ever wanted to repeat. It ranked right up there with labor pains.

We went back to the suite and had room service bring us dinner before Alice started getting my other two bridesmaids and herself ready, tying Angela's and Rosalie's hair in loose knots at the nape of their neck and then of course, touching up her usual spiky-do. I didn't know if Alice's hair did anything else...maybe it was like Edward's?

Once she was finished, Alice worked on my hair, curling it in large sections to create loose waves, and then pinned it carefully so that it cascaded down my right shoulder and draped over my breast. She then placed a crystal flower just above my ear. Once satisfied with my hair, she started working on my makeup, keeping it light and romantic. She added just a hint of blush to my cheeks, because she knew I'd be blushing like crazy throughout the ceremony anyway, and then applied a shimmering white shadow to my brow bones. She lined my eyes with black liner before applying mascara to my eyelashes and a deep, ruby red gloss to my lips.

It was very old Hollywood glamour. I loved it.

Alice brought in some sort of box from the living room, and I was thrilled to see it held our bouquets. I gently pulled mine out to admire the white anemone flowers with the navy blue centers. As I slowly put it back, I looked out the window and saw the sun beginning to set over the mountains.

It wouldn't be long now.

The nerves started fluttering in my stomach and caused my blood to leap in my veins. I had to focus on keeping my breathing steady so that I didn't hyperventilate.

"Bella, sweetie? What just happened?" Angela came over, holding her midnight blue gown in her hands.

I swallowed thickly. "I'm nervous, all of the sudden."

"Cold feet?"

"No, not exactly." What was it I was feeling? "I think I'm afraid I might fall and split my dress so that everyone can see my ass." My giggle had a hysterical note to it. "Or that Edward will change his mind and leave me at the altar?"

Angela shook her head and looked at me sternly. "Never. I've never seen anyone look at anyone else the way he looks at you. I don't know him very well--and I expect that to change in the future even if we live so far away from each other now," I laughed, "but his entire world revolves around you and those boys. He's not going anywhere."

I took a deep breath and felt somewhat calmer. "Thanks, Ang. You always know what to say."

She smiled at me. "I can't believe you're getting married before me!"

I pulled her into a hug. "Well, if you didn't have to plan everything so far in advance, you'd be married already! It's not my fault you set your wedding date eighteen months after you and Ben were engaged."

"Well, June will be here before we know it. And you'll get to return the favor and be my maid of honor."

I internally cringed. "Don't remind me," I muttered, causing her to laugh.

I helped them all into the floor length gowns Alice had made and beamed when I saw how flawless their pale skin looked against the deep blue and how elegant they looked. The dresses had a plunging v-neck and fitted ruching of the fabric around their waist and hips before it flared out at their mid-thighs. Alice had customized it to each of their heights; it was better than I could have ever imagined.

I slipped on my white dress and ran my hands over the intricately beaded Chantilly lace while Alice zipped the dress up at my side. I went over to the full length mirror right outside the bathroom and nearly cried. The silhouette of my gown matched my bridesmaids, fitting perfectly through the bodice and hips until it came to my mid-thigh and flared out in a trumpet shape. The sweetheart neckline draped perfectly over my breasts and the capped sleeves fit my shoulders, not slipping once.

"It's incredible," I breathed in awe.

"You really like it?" Alice asked with a hopeful expression and wide eyes.

"I love it. It's perfect. Thank you. You're a force to be reckoned with in the fashion world, Alice Whitlock," I said softly.

"He's going to lose the power of speech when he lays eyes on you," she said with a wicked grin.

"That's what we were going for." I gave her a sly smile in response.

Rosalie tucked the camera she'd been using to take pictures all afternoon into her bag and slipped on her shoes--while we did the same--and we all started downstairs to get into the one of the limos Alice had rented for the evening. We all managed to climb in without destroying our dresses or ruining our hair and headed towards the spot in the Mojave Desert Alice had found for the wedding.

Rosalie checked her phone and smiled. "Emmett says Edward's freaking out. He's ready for midnight."

"So am I," I replied with an edge of longing in my voice. I hadn't seen Edward since last night and without all the rush and business of getting ready, I was noticing how empty I was without him, how much I missed him and our boys already.

We stopped and met the photographer on the side of the road just before we left the valley and he took some shots of us with the sunset painting the sky in vivid hues of pink and orange. I turned to face the mountain that stood behind us and saw that it had darkened so that the sky looked like it had been lit on fire by an invisible source. I couldn't wait to see what the pictures would look like.

The drive to the Mojave Desert seemed to take forever. Alice ran through everything with us, and she triple checked her file folder to make sure we had the necessary paperwork for the minister to sign after the ceremony. Watching her take on the role as wedding planner was a welcome distraction for my frazzled nerves.

The photographer took even more shots of us while we waited for Charlie, Carlisle and Esme to arrive with Eli and Aiden. They finally pulled up and jumped out of the car, racing over to me in their adorable little black tuxes. After being gushed over by Edward's parents and my father, I took my place behind the accordion wall that had been set up and did the only thing left for me to do.

Wait.

I heard the crunch of the tires over the gravel before I felt his presence. Like a current running through me, the electricity grew stronger and stronger with each passing moment he was near.

"Hey." His voice was liquid satin from the other side of the wall.

"Hey," I said back, my voice breaking with the tears that threatened to consume me again.

"Put your ring on your right hand, like a promise ring."

I realized I still had the Claddagh on. "What?"

"Please. Don't ask questions, baby. Just do it," he chuckled.

I followed his instructions and switched the ring from my left ring finger to my right. "Okay."

"Okay." He was silent for a moment. "I've missed you today."

"I've missed you, too." I bit down on my trembling lip so that I didn't cry.

"Think I can sneak a peek really quick?" he asked mischievously.

"No!" I giggled. "Go take your place so I can see you."

"All right," he chuckled. "I'll see you in a few minutes." I thought he'd left, so I was surprised to hear his gentle voice again. "Bella? I love you."

I took in a quick, sharp breath. "I love you."

Before I knew it, Charlie came behind the wall with my white bouquet and smiled. "Ready, Bells?"

I took the bouquet, studying the lilies of the valley and smelling the sweet fragrance of the white sweet peas. "I am."

Everyone came behind the wall and took their positions. James held out his arm for Rosalie and turned in my direction, letting out a low whistle of approval through his teeth.

"Cullen is going to fucking flip when he sees you. You look gorgeous," he said with a grin.

"Thanks." I could feel the heat rise to my cheeks already.

The music began--the slow, beautiful sound of the piano played in the background. Edward had recorded the songs for the wedding while playing them on Esme's piano. Knowing that it was his graceful fingers that flew over the keys made the music even more special, more emotional.

James and Rosalie left my sight as they walked to take their places near Edward. When it was Alice and Jasper's turn, Alice blew me a kiss and Jasper threw me a wink, just before they began their ascent up the aisle.

Emmett placed a quick kiss on the top of my hair and took Angela's arm. "Knock 'em dead, Belly Bean."

And then there was no one left but me and my father; no one else was standing between me and the man I was about to promise my life to.

Charlie silently offered me his arm and I immediately grasped onto it while clutching my bouquet in the other hand. We walked and made the turn so that I was facing our family. Eli and Aiden jumped and squealed at the sight of me, making me giggle, and Carlisle had to calm them down while struggling not to laugh at them himself.

I tried to take everything in at once; the soft flicker of white candles standing tall on silver pillars, the white aisle runner that was keeping my dress from touching the sand, the beautiful arbor, heavy with the white wisteria that hung over our heads, filtering the moonlight into soft, silver rays, the crystal clear sky, shining with millions of stars, and the backdrop of the mountains and dunes that surrounded us. I saw it all, but was too wrapped up in Edward's appearance to fully appreciate it.

His coppery hair was standing in a forest of tufts on top of his head, and I knew he'd been raking his hands through it nervously while he waited for me. His black tuxedo fit him perfectly, skimming the line of his broad shoulders and made his pale skin almost glow in the moonlight. His face was lit up by his exultant smile, echoing my own. But his eyes--they were pools of green emotion, communicating his deep love and devotion to me; the absolute adoration in them was literally breathtaking. It hitched in my throat and I nearly sobbed aloud with the surge of emotion that came over me. It was all I could do not to break away from Charlie and leap into his arms so that I could feel his lips against mine.

And then finally--finally--I was home. My hand was placed into his and all was right with the world. He took his free hand and traced the line of my jaw with his fingers.

"There," he cleared his throat, trying to control his emotions, "there are no words to describe how utterly stunning you are tonight or how happy I am to be able to make you my wife. I am so fortunate to have found you, a ghrá."

Bingo. "Thank you, I feel exactly the same way," I said, feeling my face flame up. "Let's go get married now so I can spend the rest of my life referring to you as my husband."

"You don't have to ask me twice." He grinned crookedly.

We said our vows, wiping each others tears from our cheeks, smiling at the evidence of our love for one another as we did. Before I knew it, we were exchanging rings, only they weren't what I'd expected. Instead of Edward placing the Claddagh back on my finger and me giving him the solid, titanium band he'd picked out, they were matching two-toned bands with a continuous Celtic design surrounding a row of diamonds that wrapped around the entire band.

He placed the ring on my finger and I felt the jolt of power that came from it shoot up my arm and settle in my heart, becoming a gentle shimmer that seemed to linger there.

I repeated the action and then grinned at him while I waited for those magical words to be spoken.

"By the power vested in my by the State of California, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Edward, you may kiss your bride."

Our entire family erupted in applause and cheers around us as soon as our lips met. He kissed me with such tenderness, I went pliant in his arms and sighed.

Eli and Aiden came running over to us, breaking our kiss. "Momma! Momma!" Eli shouted excitedly. "Are we married now?"

I bent down and cupped his face in my hand. "Yes, baby. We're married now."

***~***

**OK-there's wedding night sexin' for all your horny folk out there in the next chapter ;)**

**And the comment about the funhouse mirror? Yeah, Matt (Marine hottie friend Navyward is loosely based on) said that to me a few nights ago while we were out. Only, he said something about smacking the chick's ass and new galaxies forming or something, but I was a little too inebriated to remember it exactly. The hubby seriously did what Bella did and cut us off, LOL.**

**Fun times :)**


	38. Chapter 38

**OK--I'm getting straight into the lemony goodness in this chapter...haha! There's some fluff mixed in here, cause let's face it, if you're not all blissed out on your wedding night, you probably shouldn't have gotten married ;)**

**Thanks for the reviews! I'm doing a double post day, posting an update here and on Man Who Can't Be Moved, because I have to get my second part of the Christmas collab in by Sun and it's a juicy ass lemon featuring C/Es so I want to make sure it's good and won't be writing on anything until after I submit it Sunday. Never written one from their POV before...should be interesting.**

**Also, there's a section in here that might be offensive to you, so I elluded to it and depending on how many people yell at me for skipping over it, I may/may not do an outtake. I dunno. We'll see.**

***~***

Chapter 38

**Edward**

"Bella," I growled, slamming her against the wall as soon as we got into the suite. "As much as I've enjoyed seeing you in this dress on our wedding day, I need it off of you. Now."

I took her mouth with mine, kissing her fiercely, as I felt along the back of her dress for the zipper.

"It's on the side," she said in a quick, shaky breath against my lips.

I found the zipper and quickly pushed it down. She slipped out of her dress smoothly as I drug my mouth along her hot, slick flesh. "I'm not going to make it to the bed."

She pushed my jacket off my shoulders and fumbled with my tie. "No?" I captured her nipple in my mouth and heard her breath hitch in her throat. "Too bad."

She awkwardly unbuttoned my shirt, too flustered to concentrate on the tiny clear buttons, and finally slipped her hands inside it when she finished, running her fingers down my stomach and causing me to jerk as a shiver tore through me while it fell away from my shoulders.

I groaned against her skin and trailed kisses over her stomach until I got to the waistband of her thin, white thong. I stood up and spun her around so that her chest was against the wall and ran my hands over her ass appreciatively. "So fucking hot," I murmured against her neck.

She moaned as I dipped my fingers in between her legs, stroking the wet fabric in smooth, slow movements. "Edward," she whispered.

"Are you a fan of these?" I asked roughly, licking a trail to her earlobe.

"No," she said, swallowing hard.

"Good."

I one swift movement, I ripped them off her body and threw them on the floor. I placed a frenzy of kisses all down her back, tasting the sweetness of her skin, and wrapped my arm around her body, slowly making my way to her slit. And abruptly stopped.

"What the fuck is this?" I hissed, grabbing her hips and turning her around so I could see her.

"Rosalie planned it. You like it?" She bit her lip and flushed from head to toe as she waited for my answer.

I couldn't speak. My words had gotten stuck in my throat as my fingers slowly brushed over the smooth skin. My dick was throbbing against my pants, begging me to release it and fuck that smooth, wet...

_Oh, God._

I took a deep, ragged breath and fought for coherency so I didn't sound like a bumbling idiot when I answered her . It wasn't the first time I'd seen a woman bare, but it was the first time my Bella--my wife--had done anything like this before. She was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. This just made her even more incredible.

I'm sure I looked like a star struck fool.

"Fuck," I hissed. "Like wouldn't even begin to describe what I'm feeling right now."

She gave me a slow, wicked smile and began taking my pants off. She backed me up against the door and pushed them down, running her tongue over my chest and biting down on my nipple. My dick bounced as the sensation rushed through me and a low growl vibrated in my throat. She slowly trailed open-mouthed kissed down my stomach, dipping her tongue in my navel, and then taking me in her hand.

With a quick, impious flash of her eyes, she swirled her tongue over the tip of my dick before she took me into her hot mouth, causing me to throw my head back against the door and moan her name loudly. She worked me, moving her mouth up and down my shaft in time with her hand, sucking and teasing until I finally hit the back of her throat. My hips bucked involuntarily and my hands went into her hair, gently guiding her as I felt my release near.

"God, you're so fucking good at that, baby," I said between my teeth.

She hummed as she went back down on me and my head snapped down to look at her. She was watching me, waiting for me, with what I'm sure would have been a fucking sinful grin on that beautiful face of hers if half my dick wasn't in her mouth.

She grazed her teeth along my shaft lightly as she came back up, and the sensation combined with the visual of me fucking my wife's mouth caused me to lose control, coming violently into her mouth. The growl ripped from my throat as my orgasm pulsed through me with such blinding force, I had to brace myself against the wall so I didn't collapse.

When I'd finally gotten some of my sense back, I gripped her arms, pulling her to me forcefully, and slid my tongue in her mouth, kissing her feverishly, before I bit down on her lip, desperate for her to feel some of the ache that was burning through my body at an incredible speed.

She gasped, a sound of pain mixed with pleasure, and I nearly lost it again. I grabbed her hips and picked her up, intent on carrying her to the bed, but only managing to make it to the couch before I recklessly threw her down and began plundering her body with my mouth.

I made my way down her chest and stomach, nipping and sucking as I went, destined to get in between her legs and taste the delectable sweetness that was distinctly Bella. I spread her legs apart and licked a slow, deliberate trail up her slit, feeling the smooth, glistening skin against me, and groaned as her hips bucked up and she thrashed on the couch.

I held her still and continued to taste, well aware of the sounds she was making with every flick of my tongue as they caused my dick to twitch against the couch each and every time. The intense, drumming beat of desire, urging me to take her and bury myself inside her, grew stronger with each passing moment.

She arched and writhed, and I finally couldn't take any more. I put my fingers inside her and pumped them in time with my flicks, feeling her muscles clench up just before she came hard, screaming my name as her walls rippled around my fingers.

I scooped her up and carried her to the bedroom, only for her to wiggle out of my arms and push me down on the floor, a mere five feet away from the bed.

"I need you, Edward," she said thickly.

"How do you want our first time as husband and wife to be?" I asked, scraping my teeth along her shoulder.

"Oh, God," she moaned.

She pushed against my chest, urging me to lay down on the floor and then straddled me, sliding herself down on my dick and making me moan as I felt her wrap around me. I grabbed her and pulled her down so that I could kiss her, as she began moving up and down, grinding her hips against me each time she came down on me. Her movements grew hurried, needful, so I pushed her up so that she was sitting and took her hips in my hands, driving myself into her as she came down.

She bit her lip and threw her head back, and I vaguely noticed through the fog of lust that it was the most amazing sight I'd ever seen. Her muscles contracted around me, close to the edge, and I thrust into her roughly, lifting my hips off the floor, and watched her come around me when I did.

I flipped us over and grabbed her feet, sitting them on my shoulders, and then in wild, reckless thrusts, cleaved myself inside her, over and over, driving us both to the brink of orgasm again.

"Come with me, baby," I whispered as I stared into her beautiful, cinnamon-chocolate eyes.

It hit us together, fast and hard, the animalistic sounds echoing through the room as we lost ourselves in the sensations that pounded at our bodies.

We collapsed in a heaving mess of tangled, sweaty limbs and held on to each other as we both struggled to catch our breath and slow our hammering hearts.

"We should get married more often," she said with a breathless giggle.

"We should," I agreed. "That was the best fucking sex I've ever had in my life. And we've had a lot of good sex."

"It was."

"I'm not done though," I said, shifting us so that my weight wasn't crushing her.

"You're not?" she asked in shock.

"Oh, fuck no. We're only getting married once. I'm going to make it so that when we catch our flight tomorrow night, you'll be walking funny."

She snorted. "How romantic."

"There'll be some romance in there somewhere," I said with a crooked grin. "But I've got to get over you...uh, yeah." I could feel myself growing hard inside her again with just the thought that she was bare around me.

She laughed. "If I'd have known a wax would get this reaction from you, I'd have been doing it all along. It was definitely worth the pain."

"No, oh, God, no. Not unless you want to spend the rest of our lives in bed. I can't...Jesus, just the fucking thought of it makes me want to..."I shook my head and tried to clear the violent thoughts.

"Edward, I'm not breakable. You know that." She bit her lip and looked at me coyly. "What do you want to do?"

"I want to do so many things to you." My mind was racing with the possibilities. "But first, I think..." I trailed off and finished my sentence in a whisper against her ear.

She let out a strangled, shocked, choking sound and I pulled back to see her reaction. Her eyes were huge, staring at me in wonder.

"Have you never thought about it?" She shook her head mutely. "Really?" I asked incredulously.

"Uh-uh."

I pulled out of her and slipped my fingers inside her, gathering the wetness and spreading it towards her lower hole. "Well? What do you think? I'll be careful..." I circled it with my thumb and used my other hand to gently stroke her clit.

She mewled softly and closed her eyes, nodding her head as she let herself become steeped in the sensations I was giving her.

I gave her a slow, sinful smile. This was going to be so fucking good.

* * *

"How's your bath?"

"Soothing," she said with a sigh.

"Sore?" I asked, sitting on the edge of the tub behind her.

"One area is, yes," she smirked.

"I'm sorry," I said, kissing her hair. "Well, I don't know if sorry is the exact word for it. That was..."

"Amazing?" she finished with a soft laugh.

"I didn't expect it to be like that," I told her honestly. "I thought it was going to be porn star good, but I should have known with you, that it would be better than anything I was picturing."

"Wait, are you telling me you've never done that before?" she asked in surprise.

"No, I haven't."

"You mean I got to be your first on something?" She paused laying her head against my thigh. "Ha!"

"Bella, everything is like the first time with you. Nothing feels the same as it did before. Everything's so much better. It's like every part of us connects." I laughed at myself. "I sound ridiculous."

"Nah." She turned herself around to face me. "Are you sleepy?"

"Very. We've been up for almost twenty-four hours. Aren't you sleepy?"

"Yes. And hungry."

"Well, let's order some breakfast and then we can sleep until it's time to pack," I said gently, skimming my fingers down the line of her neck and over her shoulder. "I'm going to take a quick shower."

"Okay."

As I scrubbed myself clean, my mind started going back to yesterday. How anxious I was all afternoon to make her my wife. How I'd walked the strip with James and just happened across a jewelry store that carried Celtic wedding rings. One look at them, and I knew they were meant for us. How the entire drive to the wedding site, the beating drum inside my chest grew stronger, faster, with each mile we crossed as I got closer to Bella. How stunned I was as I saw her walking down the aisle towards me, towards our future together, looking more beautiful than a picture in a fairytale, and how completely peaceful I felt when Charlie put her hand in mine. I thought about the love that surged through me as we said our vows. How I finally realized at that moment, she was mine. That everything we'd been through had brought us closer together and made us stronger.

I was so lucky to have her in my life. That she brought Eli into it and that we found Aiden, our son.

And then the realization that she put her complete, total trust in me with every part of her--her mind, her heart, her soul, her body--nearly brought me to my knees. She had given herself to me in every way possible and as I walked back into the bedroom, I wondered if I would ever be truly deserving of her.

There she was, my light, the reason for my existence. She casually laid on the bed in a white satin gown, studiously looking at the room service menu. I hitched the towel around my hips and climbed into the bed, pushing the menu out of her hands and taking her in my arms.

I kissed her tenderly, wishing I knew how to convey everything I felt for her, how solely hers I was and how wrapped up in her I had become. I pulled away and kissed every part of her face gently, reverently, before I brought my lips back to hers again.

"I love you," I whispered, skimming my nose along the line of her jaw.

"I love you," she repeated. "What just happened?"

"I had a moment," I chuckled. "An epiphany, I guess, in the shower. Without going into it, I realized I love you more than I know how to tell you or show you."

"Well, now you're being romantic," she said with a soft smile.

"I guess I am." Her stomach rumbled in between us. "Food?"

"What do you want?"

"Whatever you're having's fine." I kissed the tip of her nose. "No, I take that back. I want an omelet. Just like we had the morning after I spent the night with you for the first time. I think that would be pretty fucking appropriate. Don't you?" I gave her a crooked grin.

"Sounds perfect."

* * *

**Bella**

I woke up, blissfully wrapped up in Edward's arms, and wondered idly if he'd mind being woken up to me squealing. My blood was racing through my veins and my heart was fluttering in my chest with the excitement that bubbled underneath my skin. It was like all at once, it was finally hitting me. I'd been emotional during the ceremony, but the thought of after--of Edward being my _husband_--was too surreal a concept to grasp. And now here he was, sleeping tranquilly next to me, the fingers of our hands intertwined; our wedding rings touching.

I gave in. I buried my head in my pillow and let the joyous scream break free, releasing all the pent up energy that was surging through my body.

I felt better.

I sheepishly looked at Edward and saw him looking at me with a sleepy smirk on his face. "Feel better?"

I giggled. "Yes."

"Can I ask what that was about?"

"I'm...happy." I beamed at him. "Can you die from happiness Dr. Cullen? Can your heart literally beat itself to death because of all the endorphins and adrenaline racing through your blood?"

"Are you telling me I orgasmed you to the point of near-death earlier?" he chuckled.

"Do you release endorphins when you orgasm?" He nodded, grinning at me. "Then yeah, you might have."

He pulled me against him and placed a kiss on my forehead. "Glad to hear it. Though, you don't seem critically ill."

I crawled up his body and straddled him, taking the white night gown and pulling it over my head, as I bent down to kiss him. He laughed and grabbed my shoulders, looking at me with amusement twinkling in his eyes.

"Whoa, there. You're probably pretty sore. Maybe we should wait until we get home," he laughed.

"Nope." I pursed my lips when he didn't move. "I promise, I'm not. Not the part that matters right now, anyway."

His smile faded and he looked at me seriously. "You're sure?" I nodded, getting a humming response from him as he released my shoulders and let me ease my face to his.

Our lips met, becoming a quick, fiery tangle of tongues, as his hands moved gracefully over my body. He cupped my breasts, kneading gently, as his thumbs grazed over my nipples, instantly causing them to harden with his touch.

I fisted my hands in his hair, pulling gently as I ground my hips into him and listened to his moan, echoing my own.

"Bella," he whispered against my mouth.

He positioned himself at my entrance and I let myself come down on him. We both stopped all other movement as we reveled in the feel of our bodies joining together. His hands skimmed my sides, going to my hips and he started rocking me against him in a slow, enticing pace.

I ran my hands over his chest and tried to speed up his torturous pace, only for him to keep a firm grasp on my hips, never deviating from his motions.

He chuckled. "Just feel, baby. Quit trying to rush it."

I moaned as he pushed me down into him, rolling my hips against his and sending the sparks of pleasure shooting through me. I closed my eyes and obeyed, allowing myself to get lost in his movements, in the feel of his skin against mine, the scent of his skin, and the feel of his lips and tongue as they traced patterns along my skin.

Before I knew it, my breathing was ragged and our bodies were becoming slick with sweat as we neared our release. He let go of my hips, allowing me to take the lead, and I brought my body up and down on him faster, harder, as I stepped closer and closer to the edge.

A low, guttural sound came out of Edward's mouth as he came inside me, pulsing, and making me come with him.

I kissed his jaw, running my tongue up the scratchy stubble, until I got to his ear. "Again," I pleaded softly, rocking against him.

He groaned and flipped us over as he captured my mouth with his, kissing and touching me with such tenderness, I went pliant, giving him all of me and letting him take control.

He thrust into me with smooth, strong strokes, gently skimming his hands over my breasts and teasing my nipples, rolling them between his fingers.

My hands went to his hips, pulling him into me more forcefully, and before I knew what was happening, he had my hands in one of his above my head, as he continued to drive into me. I pushed my hips up to meet each of his strokes, and he broke away from our kiss, moving his lips down my neck and traveling down to my nipple.

He flicked my nipple with his tongue, then sucked down on it. I could feel myself getting ready to come again, and my body started to tremble underneath him, responding to every touch and thrust. He smiled and hummed against my skin as he felt the change in me, driving himself into me faster, with more power.

He squeezed my hand and brought his head up, his green eyes lit with fire as he grunted and watched me come strongly around him, screaming and writhing underneath him. With one last, quick thrust, he came deep inside me, burying his head in the crook of my neck and moaning my name against my skin.

His breath fanned out over my skin, causing a chill to run through me. I shuddered and felt his chest shake with his silent laughter as he rolled off of me and curled up against me.

"Sleep," he mumbled. "I didn't get enough. This chick I married in Vegas is a sex fiend. She woke me up screaming and then practically attacked me. Weirdo. I don't know what the fuck I'm going to do when we get home."

I spit out a laugh. "You got married in Vegas? How cliché."

"Huh," he laughed. "It wasn't that bad. There were no Elvis impersonators and neither of us were drunk."

"Oh, well, that's a relief. But that means you probably can't get it annulled." I yawned.

"No. No annulment. Guess I'll just have to divorce her ass if she doesn't shut up and let me sleep."

I giggled. "How much time do we have before that damn alarm will go off?"

"Three hours."

"Oh, okay. That's enough." I closed my eyes and burrowed down against him. "Night."

"No, morning."

"Oh, whatever."

* * *

The blasted alarm went off, disturbing our slumber and we both got up and started packing. I got my dress off the floor and put it in the garment bag, then found my shoes strung out in between the door and the couch, where they'd at some point fallen off my feet, and then picked up the shredded scrap of lace that was my thong. And yes, I was walking a bit bowlegged, but I was trying my best to hide it.

I held it up and twirled it around. "Hmm. I think I might've changed my mind. I liked this one."

"We can buy you another," Edward said, picking up his tux and hanging it up.

"No, I don't think we can." He looked at me in confusion. "I'm pretty sure this was La Perla. Which means Alice is going to kick my ass." I paused for a beat. "No, she's going to kick _your_ ass."

"Then don't tell her. It's just a pair of underwear. What's the big deal?"

"I'm pretty sure she said something about this being over a hundred dollars."

He dropped his shoes on the floor and I watched them bounce across the room. "Are you fucking kidding? Alice paid over a hundred dollars for a piece of fabric the size of my hand?" he asked in shock.

"Mmm," I said vaguely, throwing it in the trashcan. "Yeah, we'll just keep that to ourselves."

We took separate showers, because there was no way I was going to be able to have any more sex with him before we left. Which caused him to throw me a cocky, crooked smirk when I explained to him the reason why I needed him to get in without me. I threw on a pair of sweats and a tank top, carrying my hoodie with me for when we got back to Chicago, and had my wet hair in a ponytail on top of my head, only to be told I needed to change into something nicer. Since Edward gave me no clue as to why, I changed into a long, flowing maxi dress and threw on a pair of flat sandals so I could at least be comfortable on the plane.

"Hey, now that the wedding's over, I was thinking about maybe cutting my hair," I said casually as we walked downstairs to meet up with everyone.

Edward's steps faltered and he gave me a hard look. "Why?"

"Um, or not. I was just thinking that since I've had hair down to my ass since high school, it might be time for a change. But I can see that wasn't the best idea," I said with a giggle.

He wrapped my still damp hair around his hand and pulled me to him. "Your hair is one of my favorite things about you. Let me explain," he said lowly against my mouth. "It's soft, and thick, and shimmers this amazing red in the sun. If you cut it off, I can't do this," he tugged on my ponytail, closing the small gap between our mouths and kissed me deeply. "Not only do I love your hair, I love the color of your eyes. The deep, chocolaty color seems to pull me in. When you're angry or horny, take your pick, they have these cinnamon colored flecks in them and seem to be indescribably saturated with color. Then there's your body, which, I believe I've given you enough examples over the months to describe how I love that. And then there's that warm, pink blush that tints your cheeks almost constantly, because you, a ghrá, are embarrassed about nearly everything, even when you try not to be. And sometimes, it covers your entire body, exceptionally lighting your body in a flame of color. So, if you don't mind, I'd rather you not cut your hair."

I blinked and tried to unscramble my brain. "Holy shit," I breathed. "Where did that come from?"

He released my hair and grinned. "I've been thinking about things since that epiphany of mine. I want to at least _try_ to tell you how much you mean to me." He shrugged. "I don't know if I'll succeed, or if I'll come of looking like a total jackass, but it's worth a shot."

"No, definitely didn't look like a jackass, there," I said, still dazed.

We rode the elevator down to the main floor and found everyone waiting for us at the entrance of Le Cirque.

"You're taking me to eat at Le Cirque?" I asked, stunned.

"You said something about it, so I thought I'd save it for last since it's supposed to be the best," he answered with a grin.

"Oh, my God. Do you know how long I've been wanting to try the L'Agneau du Colorado?"

"No, but now you can." He put his arm around my waist and pulled me closer to him.

"Hi!" Alice squealed. "How was the wedding night?" She gave Edward a narrowed glance. "No details."

"It was great, thanks."

"Momma! Da!" Eli darted around everyone and latched on to us. "Daideo said we get to go home later!"

"We do, do you miss home, squirt?" Edward asked, picking him up.

"Um-hm. Aiden and I want to go home and play with my cars. Da? Will you set the track up for us?"

"Sure, buddy. We'll set it up in the bonus room so it's out of the way. Okay?"

"Where's your brother?" I asked Eli, looking around.

"He's asleep. Over there." Eli pointed behind Emmett.

I craned my neck around and saw him passed out in the stroller. "Well, all right then."

"The boys already ate," Esme said as she gave us hugs and kissed our cheeks. "I wasn't sure they'd enjoy this kind of thing."

"Um, no, probably not," I said with a laugh. "Thanks."

"Sure, sweetie."

We went inside and were immediately seated. I looked up at the ceiling and smiled at the colorful streams of color that billowed down, resembling a circus tent, and then turned my attention to the menu. I could hear Edward and James talking next to me, but wasn't paying any attention. I was too wrapped up in my own little culinary world, anxious to see if the food was as good as its reputation.

The food arrived and smelled incredible. I took a bite and almost groaned, it was so good. I offered Edward a bite before he took a bite of his lobster, so that I didn't have to get a new fork or make a trip to the hospital.

"I'll brush my teeth when I'm done," he said when he took the first bite.

"I hope so. Not being able to kiss you would be...weird."

He smiled. "It would."

We ate desert, something I never did, and Carlisle and Esme paid the thousand-something dollar bill without blinking twice. I fidgeted with my napkin guiltily after the waiter took their credit card, quickly getting Carlisle's attention.

"Bella, don't feel guilty. We didn't get to have a rehearsal dinner or anything like that for you two. This is the least Esme and I can do for you." He gave me a warm smile.

"I know, but it's so much," I replied, biting my lip. "Thank you."

"You're quite welcome, dear. Think of it as an initiation into the family. We Cullen's like to spend money, as well as make it. You, Bella, just passed with flying colors." Carlisle winked.

"Yep, welcome to the family." Emmett raised his glass, as did everyone else at the table.

I blushed furiously. "Thank you. Thank you for accepting me. And Eli. You don't know how much it means for me to have some kind of family other than my father."

"Aw, Bella!" Alice said, wiping her eyes. "We love you, too."


	39. Chapter 39

**So, hopefully this chapter will make you guys happy :) It made me happy to write it! Next chapter will be fast-forwarding a few months and I've changed the epilogue's timing a little. Instead of ten years later, it'll be twelve years later. You'll see why. I'm very excited about it! So, we have two more posts after this. *sniffle* Oh, I'm going to miss this horny bastard that is Edward.**

**Thanks for the reviews!!**

**LEMON COMING UP!!!**

***~***

Chapter 39

**Bella**

I retched violently over the toilet, emptying the contents of my stomach and then laying my head down on the cool tile. I waited until the nausea passed and then got up and rooted around in the cabinet for the two boxes I'd hidden inside the night before.

I pulled them out and grinned like an idiot. I pretty much knew I was pregnant; I just needed confirmation. It had been three weeks since the wedding and each day I'd progressively gotten worse. It started with exhaustion, to the point that by nine o' clock every night, I was passed out cold on the couch, and Edward would carry me to bed with the worried frown that seemed permanently etched onto his face. Then there were the mood swings. I'd cry over a simple commercial or snap at Edward over nothing. I jumped him while Eli was at school and Aiden was taking a nap, unable to keep my hands off him and too tired to wait to do anything until we went to bed anyways.

And during this last week, the week Edward went back to work, I'd woken up nauseated every morning. I'd managed to get Eli to school and come back home before the nausea grew to the point that I was doubled over the toilet.

Which was where I was about to be again if I couldn't get a handle on the lurching of my stomach.

I got into the cabinet again and pulled out the bag of lollipops that were supposed to remedy morning sickness. I popped one into my mouth and sucked furiously on it while I opened and took the tests.

I sat on the edge of the tub and finished the lollipop while I waited anxiously for the results. I could hear Aiden playing happily in the living room, completely oblivious to his mother's plight in the next room. My feet bounced rapidly up and down while my mind raced with the ways I could tell Edward. I wanted it to be special, and not just a simple, 'Babe, I'm pregnant'. I could make a themed dinner and cook everything I could think of with the word 'baby' in the name or make him some cinnamon buns and tell him there was a bun in the oven. Or I could pick up shirts for the boys that read 'I'm a big brother', but none of these really grabbed at me as the perfect way to tell him.

The alarm on my phone went off and I got up to hit the button and see the results. As soon as my brain registered that all four tests had two pink lines, I started squealing and bouncing around the bathroom.

"I'm pregnant!" I giggled as I started cleaning everything up.

"You're pregnant?" Alice asked in shock.

I spun around and put my hand over my now thundering heart. "Jesus, you scared me. When did you get here?"

"Just now. I thought I'd pick Aiden up early so you could get ready for your meeting with the architect without him tugging on your legs the whole time. You're pregnant?" she repeated.

I nodded, still grinning from ear to ear, and held up one of the tests. "I just found out."

She clapped her hands and threw her arms around me. "Oh, my God!" she squealed. "How are you going to tell Edward?"

"I don't know yet. Got any good ideas?"

She pulled back with a apologetic expression on her face. "No. None. Sorry."

I laughed. "It's okay. I'll think of something. I'll get Aiden's stuff ready so you can go."

"I'm going to be an aunt again," she chanted, over and over, in a sing-song voice while I grabbed Aiden's juice cup and put it in his bag.

"You are. Now keep your big mouth shut so we can announce it ourselves." I cast her a warning glance.

"I won't say a word. I promise." She crossed her heart with her fingers and took the bag from me.

"Bye, Mommy!" Aiden said as he walked out the door.

"Bye, baby. Da and I will pick you up when Eli gets out of school, okay?" I called after him.

"He doesn't care. He's going to Aunt Alice and Uncle Jazz's house. Go away, Mommy." Alice beamed at me. "I'll call you if he changes his mind."

I waited for them to drive away and then quickly got ready, sucking down on another lollipop so that I could make it out the door on time. I ran my fingers through my wavy hair and checked my appearance in the mirror. I hadn't seen Alistair since the day I'd brought all the food for the menu to his office for him to taste, so I wanted to make sure I left him with a good impression. That I could go from being the chef with her hair pulled back and her white coat on, to being the professional with a cream colored sweater and navy pinstriped pants on instead. I even wore a pair of black, heeled boots and had mascara and some lip gloss on. It wasn't much, but it was quite an effort for me, given how awful I'd woken up feeling.

I hopped into the new SUV Edward had begged me to get last week--the crisp, silver, Traverse--and my stomach rolled with the scent of the new car. I took a deep breath and swallowed it down. Apparently, the baby didn't like the new car.

While I drove to the space we'd found just off Michigan Avenue, I found myself unconsciously touching my stomach and having random, mental outbursts of 'I'm pregnant!' while I was still trying to think of ways to tell Edward, only to come up with nothing that suited me. As of now, it looked like I would just be getting one of the damn sticks out of the trash and telling him like that.

Not at all what I had in mind.

I parked at the curb and walked inside. I scanned the building and heard voices coming from the back. My heels rapped loudly on the wooden floor as I went back to the kitchen, only to come up short by who was standing over a set of blueprints with Alistair.

"Mike?" I asked incredulously.

His head snapped up and he grinned, looking ridiculously like a fourteen-year-old. "Hey, Bells! I didn't know it was you that I was meeting here!"

"Same here. Jessica didn't tell me you were an architect. But, I guess we've been talking about other things lately."

He nodded. "Yeah, I hear you and that boyfriend of yours got hitched in Vegas."

"We did." I held up my hand to show my ring as proof.

He walked over to me and pulled me into a hug. "Congratulations."

I awkwardly patted his back. "Thanks." And then made a mistake by breathing in.

Whatever cologne he had on caused my stomach to convulse instantly. I stepped away, slapping my hand over my mouth and looked around the room with wide eyes. I bolted across the room to the sink and heaved the last bit of my breakfast out of my stomach.

"I hope the water works," I mumbled, feeling my face flame up with embarrassment.

"It does," Alistair said in a slightly amused voice.

I turned on the faucet and rinsed my mouth and the sink before turning around and facing both men. Mike looked completely stunned and Alistair just smiled at me.

"Don't say anything, please," I begged.

"I won't," he promised. "When did you find out?"

"This morning. I'm still trying to figure out how to tell Edward."

His smile grew bigger. "Well, I suppose you have two things for me to congratulate you on now."

"I guess you do."

"Bella? What the hell just happened?" Mike asked, looking completely confused.

He took a step towards me and I put my hands out to stop him. "Don't come any closer. Please. I'm having a severe round of morning sickness today. Apparently, my child hates everything. My car and your cologne included."

Mike's face dawned with comprehension, and he ripped his shirt over his head as he stalked over to a bag sitting by the back door. He grabbed the gray thermal that was inside and put it on before walking back over to me.

"Better?" he asked, holding his arm out towards me.

I hesitantly sniffed at his arm, sighing in relief when all I smelled was the clean scent of laundry detergent. "Yeah. Thanks."

"No problem."

"Um, I guess we can get started now?" It came out like a question. "I seem to be better now."

"All right," Alistair said with a nod. "Let's get to work then, shall we?"

* * *

"Call me when you get there?" I asked Jacob as he loaded the last box into the trailer.

"Yep. It'll be a couple days."

"I know, but I want to make sure you get back to Seattle okay." I stood there and shifted on my feet awkwardly. "You know, I'm not too thrilled with the way things are going, but I want you to be happy. I hope you'll be happy."

He pushed some of his hair back behind his ear and gave me a small smile. "Thanks, Bella. It means a lot to hear you say that."

I glanced over at Eli, who was running around in the snow with Edward and Aiden. "He's going to miss you like crazy."

"I'm going to miss _him_ like crazy," he said sadly. "I'll see him in March, right?"

"Yeah. You can have him for spring break this year and two weeks this summer. And then next year you'll get him again for two weeks during the summer and on his Christmas break. And of course we'll still alternate holidays. You signed the papers that changed the visitation schedule, right?"

"Yep."

I nodded. "We'll figure it out." I gave him a sad smile. "Well, I guess this is it."

"The end of an era," he laughed.

"Yeah. We've been inseparable for almost our entire lives. And even though the last few months have been rough on us, it's going to be really strange knowing I can't drive down the street and see you."

He reached out and pulled me into a tight hug. "I'm going to miss you, Bells."

My eyes welled up with tears and I buried my head into the crook of his neck, breathing in his woodsy smell. "I'll miss you, too."

"Don't cry," he said softly.

"I can't help it." I pulled away and sniffled as I wiped my eyes. "My hormones are all over the place these days."

"You're pregnant." It was a statement, rather than a question.

I nodded. "Yeah," I said meekly.

His face lit up with his grin. "That's great! Congratulations!"

I laughed once. "Shh, keep your voice down. I just found out this morning and haven't had a chance to tell Edward yet."

"Why not?"

"I wanted it to be special," I answered. "I'm going to tell him after we get the boys to bed tonight."

He took a deep breath and nodded. "I'd better get going."

"I'll go get Eli."

I trekked over where Eli was playing and sent him over to Jacob. I stood, rooted in place, and watched my son say goodbye to his father with tearful eyes. My heart shattered inside my chest whenever Jacob pulled Eli into a hug, picking him up and holding him against him for a few moments, before regretfully putting him down.

The quiet sob came out of my throat just as Edward wrapped his arms around me and rested his chin on my shoulder. "You okay?" I merely nodded and took his hands with mine. He nuzzled into my neck and kissed me softly. "I think we should get the boys in bed early tonight and play. I've been thinking about getting you into bed all morning long."

I giggled. "Perv."

"You love it."

Eli came walking back to us slowly, staring down at the snowy ground the entire way. "Hey, baby. Are you all right?" I asked, adjusting his hat on his head.

"Daddy said he won't get to see me for two whole months," he said in disbelief.

"That's because he's moving far away. In Washington where Grandpa Charlie and Papaw live," I answered honestly. "But you'll get to spend a whole week with him during spring break."

"Want to go get some hot chocolate and play with the train set at Barnes and Noble?" Edward asked Eli in an attempt to distract him.

"Do I get marshmallows?" Eli asked with a beaming smile.

"You bet. As long as you don't fight with Aiden over Thomas," Edward said firmly.

"Aiden always takes him away!" Eli protested.

"He's three, Eli, and doesn't know how to share. We have to teach him these things. And you need to help us because we don't always see him being a butthead, as you so nicely put it the other day." Edward ruffled his hair.

"I said I was sorry," Eli said sheepishly.

"Mommy! Da!" Aiden came racing over to us. "'Now angel!"

I looked over to where he was playing and grinned. "That is one good snow angel, sweetie. Can you show Mommy how to do that?"

He giggled and grabbed my hand, dragging me over to a clean spot on the snow and plopping down. He moved his little arms and legs happily, then practically destroyed the angel when he got up. "Like 'dat!"

"That looks pretty hard," I said, furrowing my brows. "I don't know if I can do it as good as you can."

"Mommy! Do it!"

"Oh, okay!" I got down on the ground and made a snow angel, making sure I didn't mess it up when I got up. "There!" I said, giving Aiden a broad smile. "Now, want to go play with Thomas?" His face lit up and he nodded. "Then we'd better go."

I got up and noticed Edward watching me with a faraway look in his eyes. "What?" I demanded.

He shook himself out of it and smiled softly at me. "You're so good with them. I was just picturing when we add another one into the mix."

I bit on my tongue to keep the words from spilling out of my mouth. I had to keep reminding myself he'd find out tonight when we were alone and I could tell him properly. I couldn't wait to see his face.

So, I smiled and said instead, "It will be great when we do."

* * *

**Edward**

_Was Bella pregnant?_

That was all that kept circling around in my mind for the last two weeks. She was constantly falling asleep, and she would get completely beside herself over nothing--a commercial would cause her to go into hysterics, a toy on the floor would send her on a tirade, she'd no longer tease me back, but instead bit my head off when I joked around with her. And the last few days, I could have sworn she'd woken up with a faint green cast to her face.

God, I hoped like hell she was. The alternative was some sort of flu bug, which worried the fuck out of me, given all the flu-related deaths that were happening around the country lately.

We got home from taking the boys to play and of course came home with ten books we didn't have before. We could never make a simple trip to that damn bookstore for hot chocolate and some Thomas the Train time without spending at least a hundred dollars.

I should buy stock in Barnes and Noble with as much money as we've spent there recently.

But it had been the perfect distraction. Eli was no longer thinking of Jacob's move back to Seattle and was now busy screaming to the music with Aiden in the back of the new SUV we'd bought for me last week.

I pulled my huge Yukon into the garage, paying close attention to the mirrors--because it was a fucking beast compared to the Volvo--and helped Bella get Aiden and Eli out of the truck. I loved that we had the big family vehicles without getting into the minivans. Can you see a guy who spent ten years in the military, who has nine tattoos, getting in a minivan without looking like a total douche?

Yeah, neither could I.

I ran my hand over the tattoo on my chest that Bella and I had gotten together and smiled to myself. She was so amazingly fierce when she got that tattoo on her back, biting her lip and ignoring the stinging pain, just two days after we'd gotten back from Las Vegas at an appointment I'd had scheduled for a month. And it was so hot to see those words running down her spine when she was finished. Every now and then I'd catch myself unconsciously skimming my fingers over both of our tattoos; she did the same. She'd run her hand over the inscription on my chest or brush her thumb over the names of our sons on each of my wrists reverently.

I could feel my dick hardening in my pants as I walked to grab the mail out of the box. I hoped like hell she didn't fall asleep on me. I wasn't lying when I'd told her I'd been thinking about getting inside her all day long.

I flipped through the mail and stopped when I saw a letter addressed to Bella and me from Chicago's Superior Court. I ripped it open and grinned as I read the legal jargon and saw the 'Filed' stamped at the top of the page with the clerk's signature.

Aiden was officially a Cullen in every way.

I discarded the rest of the mail on the kitchen counter and rushed into the bedroom to change and get ready for bed before I told the boys goodnight. I left the letter on the bed and went upstairs to read to both Eli and Aiden. I came back into the bedroom and saw Bella sitting on the bed in a red baby doll, reading the letter and smiling, all while looking incredibly alluring.

I felt my head swim with lusty thoughts as I drank her in. I climbed onto the bed and yanked her to me, getting a squealing laugh in response. "You look so fucking hot," I said roughly.

"You like it?" she asked coyly, biting her lip. "I picked it up today after I went to my meeting."

"What's the occasion?"

She shrugged and looked away, causing me to frown. "No occasion. I just thought it'd be nice to show you how much I love you. And your body," she giggled, looking back at me.

There was something there, something in her eyes that I couldn't place. I pushed the strange feeling away and smiled down at her. "So, I guess that means your meeting went well?"

"Very well. It'll look amazing when they're done. Alistair's shooting for a mid-May opening."

"Mmm. I guess I should say congratulations," I whispered against her lips.

"You should," she whispered back.

I brushed my lips against hers softly before I ran my tongue across her lips, feeling them part against mine instantly. I snaked my tongue in her mouth and kissed her fervently as I ran my hand over her arm and took the letter from her hand, and then let it drop on the floor.

Her hands came up to my hair, fisting there and pulling, while I skimmed my fingers over her breast and down to her thigh. I gripped the fabric in my hand and pushed it away, exposing her smooth, firm stomach to me. I let my hand roam up her leg until I got to the waist of the red g-string she was wearing.

I slipped my fingers under it and felt something waxy under them. I pulled away from the kiss and looked at Bella questioningly before glancing down at something red on her stomach.

I abruptly sat up, feeling my blood run cold through my body with fear as I imagined cuts and scrapes covering her pale skin. I yanked the fabric out of the way and realized it was just lipstick spelling out the most incredible message I'd ever read in my life.

I trailed my thumb across the arrow that pointed down and felt my eyes brim with tears as the love and excitement for our baby surged through me. "Shhh. Baby on board," I laughed. "How long did it take you to think of this?"

"All day. I wanted to tell you so badly, but I didn't want to just blurt it out." Her breath hitched in her throat. "What do you think?"

"I think..." I swallowed hard, struggling to keep my composure. "I think it's the best fucking thing I've ever seen. Or felt."

"Yeah?"

I nodded once and pulled her up into my arms. "I love you," I almost sobbed against her skin. "Shit, we're having a baby!" I exclaimed. "Eli and Aiden are going to flip!"

She laughed and took my face in her hands. "Just like their da, I'd imagine."

"Damn right." I beamed at her. "I can't wait to start telling people."

"Well, your sister, Mike Newton, Alistair, and Jacob all already know."

"What?" I asked in shock. "How?"

"Alice came to pick Aiden up early this morning and caught me doing a little happy dance in the bathroom with one of the pregnancy tests in my hand. Alistair and Mike found out at the meeting this morning because I threw up in the sink of the kitchen." I gave her a puzzled look. "Mike's the architect. And the baby didn't like his cologne. I was so sick this morning. Everything made me puke. And then Jacob guessed it the moment I started crying like a baby when I told him goodbye."

"I'm so sorry you were sick, a ghrá." I ran my hands over her arms soothingly.

"It'll go away."

"It will." I ran my hand over the lower part of her stomach, uncaring if I was smearing the lipstick all over my hand and kissed her deeply as my chest swelled with my love for the woman I was bound to for the rest of my life.

I laid her down and hovered in between her legs, grinding my hips into her and moving my hand up her body until I got to her breast. I cupped it in my hand and ran my thumb over her nipple, just before I pinched and rolled it in between my fingers.

I listened to her breathless moan against my mouth and grew impossibly harder. I took the baby doll and pulled it over her head, groaning as I looked at her gorgeous body underneath me. I threw it on the floor and moved my hand between her legs, feeling her soak the thin satin that separated my hand from her skin.

I pulled the fabric aside, slipping my fingers into her hot and ready body and felt her writhe underneath me as I pumped them in and out and circled her clit with my thumb. Her hips bucked into my hand as she got closer and closer to her release.

I trailed kisses over her jaw and neck, listening to her ragged intakes of air in my ear, and moved slowly down to her breasts. I took her nipple in my mouth while my hand continued working in between her legs and bit down gently, causing her to come around my fingers.

I pulled my hand out from inside her panties and brought them to my mouth, suddenly needed to taste every part of her. I licked them slowly, savoring the taste, and watched Bella's eyes darken and go heavy as she watched me.

"Fuck, I don't think I'll ever get tired of the way you taste on my fingers, baby."

"Edward," she grabbed my pajama pants and boxers and pushed them down my legs. "Please stop teasing me."

I kicked my pants the rest of the way off while ripping her panties down her legs. I positioned myself at her entrance, hitching her leg over my waist, and gave her a slow, deliberate smile. "What do you want?" I asked, cocking my brow.

"Edward," she begged.

I clucked my tongue and pushed the tip of my dick in, stopping as her eyes fluttered closed and pulled back out. "What do you want?" I repeated.

"You," she breathed. "Always you."

A low growl escaped my throat as I thrust into her roughly, causing Bella to let out a strangled cry as I filled her. I shifted her body underneath me and drove into her again and again while I trailed open-mouthed kisses over every inch of her skin I could find.

She brought her hand to my chest and pressed it into the tattoo we shared and I nearly came undone with all the feelings and sensations battering my body. I broke away from her, turning her around so that I could regain some of my self-control. I waited until she was on her hands and knees, waiting for me, before I slipped back into her slowly as I placed a reverent kiss on the tattoo in between her shoulder blades.

And then any sense of control disappeared in a cloud of smoke when her back arched and her gorgeous ass came up in the air.

I grabbed her legs, spreading them further apart and slammed into her, rocking her body in time with my thrusts as she moaned into the pillow she'd buried her face into. I raked my hands over her body, feeling the slick, hot flesh under my fingertips and her muscles start to clench up around me.

I pulled her up and sat on my haunches and let her take the lead, watching her take me into her with such beauty. Her hands met mine at her breasts, urging me to knead harder until she took my hand and brought it to her mouth, swirling her tongue around my fingers and sucking down on them while she continued to ride me.

"Jesus fuck," I shouted from in between my teeth, trying desperately to hold off my impending release.

Her replying laugh was low and soft and undeniably sensual. She brought her hand to my neck and pulled me closer while pushing my other hand down her body to where we were joined. I kissed her shoulder, grazing my teeth along it's line until I got to the curve of her neck. I flicked her clit with my fingers and bit down, letting a low, guttural groan out against her skin as she and I came together. She pulsed violently around me, intensifying my orgasm to the point that I literally saw stars behind my eyelids.

I wrapped my arms around her, placing my hands on her stomach, and kissed the marks that I'd just created on her skin. "Sorry," I murmured.

"It felt so good," she said on a gasp. She placed her hands on top of mine and squeezed.

"Do you need anything?"

"You're starting already?" she asked incredulously.

"Starting what?" I asked, uncomprehending.

"Hovering. Being over-protective of me while I'm pregnant. That sort of thing," she answered.

I blinked. "I guess I am. Sorry. But there's two people I love in this one body now. I can't even fathom something happening to either of you."

She wiggled away from me and turned around so that she could take my face in her hands. "We'll be fine, Da. I've done this before, you know."

I laughed. "But remember, I haven't. So, you'll have to guide me a little and tell me when I'm being a fucking moron. Okay?"

"Okay." She gave me a chaste kiss and started to pull away.

"Where do you think you're going?" I asked pushing her down into my re-hardening dick. "He's not done with you."

She giggled. "I need a shower to get all this smeared lipstick off me before I ruin the sheets." She gave me a seductive smile. "But you're welcome to join me, seeing as though you have it all over you, too."

I looked down and saw my stomach was smeared with red and lipstick was covering my hands. "So I do." My eyes snapped to hers. "I wish I would have thought to take a picture."

She stood up and grabbed the camera off the nightstand. "I did."

I gave her a crooked grin. "Aren't you smart?"

"I have my days." She started towards the bathroom and I smacked her ass, listening to the sound bounce off the room with satisfaction. "Ow," she teased. "Are you coming or not?"

"I'll be right there."

As soon as she shut the door behind her, I grabbed the camera, careful not to get lipstick all over the screen, and turned it on. I hit the review button and watched the picture of Bella's stomach with the words announcing the baby pop into view, causing a huge smile to stretch across my face.

I was going to be a father. Again.


	40. Chapter 40

**Did anyone else OD on tryptophan like me? Oh, my...**

**I wasn't going to update until Monday, but I have a fuckton of things going on this weekend and it doesn't look like I'll get to do any kind of writing other than my Christmas collab piece over the weekend, so I thought since this was pretty much written already (as it was originally the epilogue), I'd go on ahead and update it, that way I can work on my other two stories and not feel so damn guilty about leaving you guys in the lurch...but you all know my lurch isn't very long.**

**Anyway, I tried to give everyone what they wanted in this chapter, the sappy HEA, a lemon, and the baby. So, hopefully, it makes you all happy!**

**ONE MORE UPDATE LEFT! WOW! I'll get the epilogue out as soon as I update my other two stories. I can't believe it's almost over! *tear***

**Name explanation and pronunciation(s) are below, cause I'm mean and am not giving anything away up here :)**

**Oh, and have I mentioned how much I love my readers lately? You all are sooo amazing! Thank you!**

***~***

Chapter 40

**Bella**

The loud clanking, pops, sizzles, and banging of the kitchen was entirely too soothing for me. I listened to the line's shouts and orders from my office as I went through the books, putting in this week's deposits and watching the red go to black at the bottom of the screen with a satisfied smile.

Ballina was thriving. In the four short months since its opening, I had served more people and made more of a profit than I could have ever imagined. It ran like a well-oiled machine, allowing me to take time to pick Eli and Aiden both up from school and bring them back here with me as well as go to what felt like the thousands of doctor's appointments I'd been to in the last few months.

It was the perfect way to still have my own income and do what I loved, while being able to stay involved in Eli and Aiden's lives.

The phone rang as I was closing down the program. I picked it up and grinned with the voice on the other end.

"Happy Birthday, Bella!" Jacob exclaimed.

"I thought I told you no birthday crap this year."

He chuckled. "You did. But I chose to ignore you. Just like I'm sure your husband did."

I looked out into the kitchen to see Jessica tasting one of the line cook's dishes and nodding. She was the perfect sous chef, taking the reins for me when I was too exhausted to take care of things myself. "I don't know. It's after two and I still haven't gotten anything from him."

"Right. Like that will last. He's just buying time so that you can't be mad at him all day."

I rolled my eyes. "Whatever. Is there something specific you wanted?"

"I wanted to see if you'd had that baby yet. But I guess since you're at work, that's a negatory."

I laughed and patted my mountain of a stomach. "No. No baby yet."

"Maybe he'll come today. Eli came on Christmas, maybe this one will come on your birthday."

"You are so convinced it's a boy. You and Edward both. How do you know it's not a girl?" I countered.

"Well, we could all know if you weren't so damn stubborn and had found out when you had your ultrasound."

"I wanted it to be a surprise!" I said indignantly. "It's one of the few surprises you get in life!" He merely laughed on the other end. I saw Edward, Eli, and Aiden come into the kitchen each carrying bouquets of flowers. "Well, shit. I guess you were right. My guys just got here. And they're all carrying flowers."

"Told you," he said smugly. "I'll talk to you later. Tell Eli I love him."

"I will. Bye, Jacob."

I hung up the phone and plastered the fake smile on my face for the boys. "What did you bring me?"

Aiden held out his flowers, a bouquet of yellow lilies. "Fwowers, Mommy. Pretty fwowers. Just like you."

I took them from him and kissed his nose. "Thank you, baby. Did Da teach you that?" He nodded and grinned. "I thought so."

"Here!" Eli thrust his flowers at me. "Da says these are autumn fire tulips."

I took the orange bouquet of tulips from him and kissed his cheek. "Thank you. I take it your da asked the flower lady for you?"

"Yeah."

I looked up at Edward and arched my brow. "I thought I said no birthday stuff."

"You did. But I chose to ignore you," he said, grinning crookedly.

"Jacob said the exact same thing!" I exclaimed, levering myself out of my chair.

He handed me the bouquet of mixed colored roses. "Happy birthday, a ghrá." I smelled the roses and smiled despite myself. "I thought we could have Alice put all these together for you later."

"Later?" I questioned.

He nodded. "They're all meeting us here after closing." He saw my annoyed expression and grinned. "You didn't think I'd let your birthday go by without doing _anything_ did you?"

"I hoped," I muttered into the flowers.

He chuckled. "Why?"

"Because I'm as big as a house. I'm uncomfortable. And I...I really didn't want any pictures taken of me while I look so damn fat." My face flamed up with the admission.

He took the flowers and sat them down on my desk before pulling me into his arms. "You are not fat. You look phenomenal." I opened my mouth to argue with him, but was stopped when his lips met mine. "I think if you don't let someone take a picture while you look like this, while you're carrying our baby, you'll regret it later on down the road when you have no memories of it. You only have a week left until your due date. He could come at any time."

"Well, _she'll_ probably be late just like her brother," I argued. "Why are you so sure we're having a boy?"

"Why are you so sure we're having a girl?" His lips quirked in amusement.

"Wishful thinking?"

He laughed and ran his hand over my stomach. "Is it so bad to be surrounded by us boys?"

"Not really, no," I admitted.

He gave me a satisfied smile before quickly kissing my lips. "Good." He took a step back and looked over at Eli and Aiden. "Come on, guys. We've got to get the party room set up before everyone starts getting here." He looked back at me. "You are still closing at four, right?"

"Yep."

I helped out in the kitchen--as much as I could, anyway--until my bladder got the best of me again. I decided to go out to the main room and make sure everything was going smoothly while I waddled my way to the bathrooms out there.

I came out of the bathroom and stumbled over a little blond girl's feet, who was sitting just outside the door. I had absolutely no idea why she would be sitting on the floor when there were perfectly good chairs and booths all around us, most of them empty since we were closing in under thirty minutes.

"Oh, sweetie, I'm sorry," I said apologetically. "Are you hurt?"

The little girl shook her head while her mother came over and sneered. "You should really watch where you're going."

"Okay," I said slowly. "I apologize, but it's a bit hard to see my feet these days."

"Yes, well, you could have hurt her with all that extra weight you're carrying around," she shot back.

My mouth dropped open at how rude she was being. I started to say something back, something along the lines of getting the hell out of my restaurant, but stopped when Edward's strong arms wrapped around my waist protectively, absently running his hands over the baby.

He nuzzled my neck and looked at blond woman in front of us. "Lauren," he said coolly.

Ah, the infamous Lauren Mallory. The only woman dumb enough to willingly cheat on Edward Cullen. And apparently yell at the woman who owned the establishment she was currently eating at.

"E-Edward," she stammered. "I didn't know you were married. Or having a baby."

"Actually, it's our third," he said casually.

Lauren's eyes practically bugged out of her head. "Third?" she exclaimed in disbelief.

Edward chuckled dryly. "Surprised?" She nodded mutely as Edward pointed to our family behind us. "We have two boys already."

She looked behind us. "Uh-huh."

"This is my wife, Bella. She and I own Ballina," he said calmly.

"You what?" she barked out. "You own this place?"

"Mmm," he answered vaguely. "Are you done now?" he asked, speaking only to me. I nodded. "It was nice seeing you, Lauren," he said politely. "Next time, I hope you'll think twice before implying my wife is anything other than merely pregnant. You never know who might spit in your food..." He trailed off ominously.

We turned around and headed back to where everyone was waiting for us. "My God, she's a bitch," I said in disgust, feeling the angry tears build in my eyes.

"She wasn't that bad when I dated her." He frowned. "Or maybe she was. Fuck, I don't know, it was so long ago, I can't remember anymore."

"You make us sound ancient," I laughed, wiping my eyes.

"You are, didn't you know twenty-nine is old lady territory?" he teased.

"Then what does that make you?"

"Decrepit."

I laughed. "You'd better not be. We've got to be able to keep up with the newest Cullen soon."

"We will," he promised and pulled me tightly against him. "Hey, don't listen to her. You're beautiful. Every last part of you."

"Even the love handles I'm getting?" I whined.

He pinched at the back of my hips and shook his head. "You're delusional. There's nothing there."

"Liar."

"That's not lying, baby. That's being smart." He winked at me.

I walked into the party room to see balloons and streamers decorating the entire room, confetti on the tables, and a huge three-tiered cake sitting in the corner with a bowl of punch. As promised, Alice had thrown all the flowers my Cullen men had bought me together into a gorgeous bouquet in the center of the long dining table.

"Happy birthday!" They chorused out together, cameras flashing feverishly as Edward bent down to kiss my hair.

"Thanks guys," I said with a polite smile. "Are you all eating here?" I asked Edward.

"That was the plan, yes."

"Okay. I'll just go see if they need any help in the back." I started towards the kitchen, but was turned around and led to a chair by Edward.

"Sit," he commanded.

"I've been sitting all afternoon!" I protested.

"I don't care." He placed a kiss on my cheek. "I'll go check on everything."

I started to object again, but was instantly stopped by five pairs of blue eyes and two sets of green ones. "Fine," I grumbled, settling into my seat.

"Good girl," Esme said, smiling gently.

"So, how's the baby?" Carlisle asked, sitting next to me and patting my stomach.

"Good. Kicking my ribs like crazy," I answered honestly.

"You know, Esme complained of the same thing with Edward. Towards the end, he'd gotten his feet up under her ribcage and kicked the exact same spot over and over again. He'd kick and she'd take her hand and try to push his feet back down, only for him to slide back up and kick her again." He chuckled. "Needless to say, she was ready for him to come out."

"That's exactly what this baby does."

His smile widened. "Well, maybe this baby will be just like its father."

I sighed in resignation. "Yep, he's a boy. I'm surrounded by boys."

"Ah, you don't know that." I slid him a playful glare. "Well, you and Edward can have a girl next time if it is in fact a boy." He gave me a fatherly squeeze on the shoulder.

"Next time. Woo-hoo," I said wryly.

"What's next time?" Edward asked, looking between Carlisle and I curiously.

"It's a boy," I muttered.

He laughed loudly and sat next to me. "So, you've come over to the dark side, have you?" I merely nodded. "What made you change your mind?"

"Your father told me a story about you kicking Esme like he kicks me. I think you've been right all along," I confessed.

He put his hand on the back of my neck and stroked the skin lightly with his thumb. "I'm sorry. Would it be such a bad thing to have a boy?"

My eyes widened. "No! No, not at all!" I put my head on his shoulder. "It just would have been nice to even out the numbers a little more," I giggled.

"I see. Well, like Dad said. Next time. Or maybe we'll both be surprised and the baby will actually be a girl."

"Yeah, okay," I said, brushing him off and sitting up. "Let's get this show on the road."

We ate--well, devoured--everything the kitchen staff had made for us as well as the amazing cake Alice had made for me. The baby loved the whipped icing; I couldn't seem to get enough.

Plates were cleared and I started getting presents shoved into my hands by everyone. I opened Carlisle and Esme's first, holding up the first of the stack of onesies that were in the bag and laughed.

"Binky, Boobie, or Blankie. Nobody rides for free," I read aloud. "That's funny."

"We thought if we got something for the baby instead of you, you'd accept the gift a little better since we all went behind your backs and planned this anyway," Esme said with a warm smile.

The woman got me.

"I love it. Thank you."

I went through the rest of the stack, especially liking the ones that said 'I wake up screaming', 'Number 3', and 'You're Old', before I opened my gift from Alice and Jasper--a huge pile of clothes that Alice had designed and sewn for me.

I held up the kelly green jersey dress and grinned. "I love this! God, I hope I can fit into it before it gets too cold."

"You will," Alice promised. "You'll bust your ass in the gym if you have to. I know you."

She was right, I would. "Thank you," I said genuinely. "Now I don't have to go shopping."

"Because we all know how much you hate to shop," she said with a roll of her eyes.

"Not all of us are like you," I shot back.

"Open ours next," Emmett snickered.

I warily took the bag from him and flamed up as soon as I saw what was inside. The bag was full of things like witch hazel pads, Preparation H, Mylanta, breast pads, nipple cream, and Always--with wings.

"I hate you," I said simply.

Rosalie cackled with laughter. "You might not after that baby gets here. And that shit is expensive! Don't throw it away."

I looked over at Edward who was struggling to hold in his laughter. "Oh, hell. Laugh." I dumped the contents out in front of me, letting everyone get a good laugh at my expense.

Once everyone's laughter died down, they all got up and started helping the staff clean up the mess while Edward pulled his gift out of his pocket.

"Here, the boys and I picked this out for you." He watched nervously as I opened the rectangular box.

I gasped as I ran my hand across the silver charm bracelet that was inside. "It's beautiful," I murmured.

He took it out of the box and clasped it around my wrist and began explaining why he picked each charm out. "The Claddagh is for our engagement, the dice is-"

"For getting married in Vegas." I grinned.

He smiled tenderly back. "Yeah. Eli picked out the wolf because of his heritage, the bootie has a September birthstone for the baby, the shamrock is me, the chef's hat is you, and the Celtic circle of life is Aiden's. He wanted to pick out fire trucks and cats, so I convinced him to get this. He completed us when we found him. It seemed appropriate."

"How long did it take you to find all these?" I asked, grazing my fingers along the baby bootie.

"About a month. I had to search all over town for the fucking chef's hat," he said honestly. "Do you like it?" he asked anxiously.

"I love it. You always get me the perfect presents," I told him, brushing my lips against his. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." He quickly stood up and grinned down at me. "Sit and relax. I'll help clean the kitchen tonight."

"You're sure?" I asked, biting my lip.

"Yep. Hang out with the boys. I'll be back before you know it."

* * *

**Edward**

I wasn't sure when I'd mellowed out. If it was on the night Eli accepted me as his father, when we'd gotten the final decision allowing us to adopt Aiden, or if it was when I'd finally become Bella's husband. But somehow, slowly over the months, I no longer felt the need to go to the shooting range to blow off steam or got furious over seemingly nothing. It took a lot to really, truly, get me angry now. Bella had made me a better man. Eli, Aiden, and this baby had made me a better man. And I was even more thankful now to have them than I was before.

Somehow, I'd gotten distracted talking to my brother and father about my impending role as a father to a newborn as I walked everyone out to their cars and before I knew it, it'd been over two hours since I'd left Bella sitting in the party room.

The kitchen was spotless and then entire staff had already gone home, so I went straight to where Bella was sitting, rubbing her stomach absently.

All of the sudden, I wanted nothing more than to go home and lay around with Bella after we'd gotten the boys to bed. Maybe do a little activity to try to induce labor.

Fuck, that sounded good.

I plopped down next to her and glanced over where Eli and Aiden were playing their Nintendo DS's. "I don't know about you, but I'm ready to go home, get the boys to sleep, and maybe hang out with the TV on in bed." I nuzzled into her neck. "But not actually watch it."

"I'd love to. But I don't see that happening," she said cryptically, putting my hand on her stomach.

"What?" I felt her stomach tighten with a contraction under my hand. "Oh."

"Yeah," she said between her teeth.

"I'm sorry. You should have come and gotten me," I said apologetically.

"It's okay. I wanted to make sure it wasn't something like indigestion or Braxton Hick's."

I sat up and cupped her face with my hands, beaming down at her. "Breathe, a ghrá."

"I'm glad one of us is in such a good mood," she said, panting a little.

I chuckled. "Having a baby will do that to you. How far apart are your contractions?"

"Five or six minutes. I don't know."

I kissed her softly, lingering for a moment, before I pulled back. "All right, I'll call my parents back and have them come pick up the boys and keep an eye on them at the hospital. And I'll call Alice and have her stop by the house and pick up your bag."

"Okay," she whimpered; her eyes suddenly went fearful.

"It's all right, sweetheart. It'll all be fine." She nodded but still looked terrified. "I love you. Are you ready to meet our baby?"

"Um-hm," she said, biting her lip.

"So am I."

I called my parents and had them turn around and come back to pick up Eli and Aiden, then called Alice and reminded her of the code to the security system to get into the house. I then called Emmett and Charlie and explained to them what was happening and that I would call them again as soon as I knew it was the real thing and not some false alarm.

I got Bella into my Yukon after Carlisle and Esme had left with the boys and drove her to the hospital, surprised at how calm I was being since this was my first time going through this. We got to the hospital and checked in, where we were informed shortly after that Bella was already three centimeters dilated.

"This is not the way I wanted to spend my birthday, " Bella gasped through another contraction.

"I thought you said no birthday stuff," I teased, letting her grip my hand tightly.

"You all did it anyway. Apparently, the baby didn't get the memo." She clinched her teeth with pain.

I laughed. "Just think, if you have the baby before midnight, your birthday will be overlooked by almost everyone else. Besides me, of course."

"Huh. I didn't think of it that way. I like that." She rubbed her stomach as the contraction died down.

I sat with Bella, giving her ice and helping her through each and every contraction by letting her practically break my hand and massaging her lower back. I helped keep the monitors in place and just waited.

I wasn't sure if it was the excitement that made time speed up, or if it was Bella's pure will to get the baby out as quickly as possible, but before I knew it, they were bringing in the incubator and setting the room up for when Bella delivered.

"Push, baby!" I encouraged, wiping the sweat away from her brow.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" Bella screeched between her teeth.

"It looks like you're doing a great job, I can already see the head!" I exclaimed. "The baby has your hair!"

The contraction died down and she rested her head against the pillow. "We're never having sex again," she gasped.

I chuckled. "Oh, really?"

"Yes, really."

"That's not very original, you know," I said with a crooked smile.

"Shut up," she snapped back. "I'm not really in the mood to make anything other than the typical comments at this point."

"I bet I can change your mind," I said smugly.

"No, you won't. You suck," she whined. "Damn it." She sat up as another contraction came on.

I continued to encourage her and keep the sweat from dripping in her eyes as she painfully fought to bring our baby into the world. My emotions were all over the place, warring with each other. I was so proud and in awe of Bella, who was able to endure the mind-splitting pain without taking any medication. I was anxious to meet our baby and show him or her to the rest of our family, but I hated how Bella was in pain. Each contraction, every tear and every cry, threatened to rip my heart into shreds.

And then suddenly, there she was. The little miracle we'd been waiting all these months to meet, coming just in time to share her mother's birthday. She cried out--a cry that was thick, raspy, and strong--and was laid on Bella's chest. Her face scrunched up as she wailed, her hands were in tight fists, shaking against her little body, and her deep brown hair was matted against her head. I wiped the tears that blurred my vision and cut the cord before the nurse quickly whisked her away and cleaned her up.

"We have a girl?" Bella asked, watching the baby across the room.

I nodded and leaned down to kiss Bella. It was long, slow, and full of emotion. "She's the most beautiful baby I've ever seen."

She sobbed once. "I can't believe she's not a boy," she said through her tears.

I cupped her face with my hand, running my thumb across her cheek and catching the tear that fell. "What's her name, Mommy?"

We hadn't been able to decide on a name the entire pregnancy. Bella had done nothing but look at girl names, while I did nothing but look at boy names. Neither of us seemed to like anything the other had chosen. We finally agreed to leave it until the moment we saw her and let her name herself.

"Catriona. Catriona Reneé," she said breathlessly.

The nurse came over and handed me the tiny little pink bundle that was my daughter. I cradled her in my arms and saw her big, blue eyes wander around the room. My heart instantly swelled in my chest, making room for the love I felt for her.

"She's incredible," I breathed. "She looks just like you." She let out a tiny coo and shifted in my arms. "You do, Catey. You are gorgeous just like your mother. I guess it's a good thing I know how to shoot." She lifted her hand and began sucking on it and rooting against my chest. "Ah, I think you need to meet your mommy, now. Or at least her boob," I chuckled.

I watched Bella cradle Catriona against her chest and stroke her face, cooing softly to her while she nursed her. "What do you think the boys will think of her?" she asked when she was finished.

"Let's find out." I placed a kiss on both of their foreheads and then headed out to find our family.

"Is the baby here? Is the baby here?" Alice came rushing over to me while the rest of our family stood up and waited anxiously for my answer.

"She is," I said with a broad smile. "She's eight pounds, two ounces and twenty inches long. She's got Bella's hair and her daideo's eyes. She's," I paused, "She's perfect."

"Holy shit! That little monkey had us thinking she was a boy the entire time!" Emmett boomed.

"I know," I chuckled.

"What's her name?" Esme asked, coming over to give me a hug.

I hugged my mother and then answered her. "Catey. Bella wanted something Gaelic. Her full name is Catriona Reneé Cullen. And even though she may hate us when she gets older, we decided to keep the traditional Irish spelling instead of Americanizing it."

"The baby's name is what?" Charlie asked, rushing into the room.

"Well, that didn't take you long," I stated.

"I caught the first flight out." He looked over to where Eli and Aiden were sleeping on the couch. "So, do I have another grandson? Or a granddaughter?"

"A granddaughter, Charlie. Her name is Catriona Reneé Cullen. Catey for short."

I watched the emotion cross his face. "She named her after her mother."

I smiled. "She wouldn't have had it any other way."

* * *

Catriona was passed around the entire time we were at the hospital. Our family couldn't seem to get enough of her, the boys included. Aiden especially took to her, instantly becoming the protective big brother. With every cry and whimper from her, he rushed over to soothe her, even if he didn't know how.

We got home with her and our lives completely changed. It became a blur of constant feedings, changings, bathings, and rockings, all while Bella tried to keep Ballina going and get the boys to and from school as well as karate practice, while I tried to get enough sleep when Catriona wasn't screaming so that I could perform surgeries on patients without falling over from exhaustion in the middle of a surgery or worse.

If it wouldn't have been for the support and help of our family, I was pretty damn sure Bella and I would have gone clinically insane. Esme hired someone to clean the house for us. Everyone showed up at random times and took care of Catriona while Bella and I took naps, falling asleep as soon as our head hit the pillows. We were up and down, taking care of three kids, and screwing up our internal clocks in the process.

Which led me here--three months later--lying in bed wide awake at two am, watching the ceiling fan spin above me while Bella slept soundly in my arms. Officially at midnight, it was our anniversary. I'd been married to this gorgeous woman for a year already. It seemed...impossible.

I heard Catriona start to stir in her cradle at the foot of the bed and gently slipped my arm out from under Bella's head so that I could tend to her before she woke Bella up.

I scooped her up and carried her into the living room, shutting the bedroom door on my way, and turned the radio on lowly.

"Surely you're not hungry already. Mommy was just up with you an hour ago," I said softly, running my fingers through the tuft of brown hair on her head.

I started humming along to the music, swaying her gently, as my feet moved to the beat. She grinned a little toothless grin at me, causing my heart to melt a little.

"You've got me wrapped around your little finger already, don't you, Catey? Just like your mother." I smiled back at her.

Bob Marley's 'Three Little Birds' came on and her grin grew wider as she cooed happily to the music.

"Oh, you like this, huh?" I watched her bright blue eyes dance in her face.

_"Singin': "Don't worry 'bout a thing, 'Cause every little thing gonna be all right."  
"Singin': "Don't worry (don't worry) 'bout a thing, 'Cause every little thing gonna be all right!"_

I sang along to the song and danced with her.

"Reggae, huh?" I turned around to see Bella watching us with amusement.

"She likes it." I motioned for her to come to us with my head.

She padded across the room and put her hand on my back as she watched Catriona's reaction to the music.

"See?" I asked, when Catriona grinned again. I put my hand on the back of Bella's neck. "Dance with us?"

She laid her head on my shoulder and put her other hand in mine against Catriona's back. We gently rocked Catriona to sleep, singing softly to her, and dancing to the music.

I kissed the top of Bella's hair and smiled as her sweet, floral scent washed over me. "Happy anniversary, a ghrá."

She hummed and pressed herself against me. "Happy anniversary," she repeated.

We stood there a little longer before Bella touched the tip of her finger to Catriona's parted lips, tracing them lightly with a smile. "She's out."

"I don't know about you, but I'm wide awake." I ran the tip of my nose along her neck and placed a gentle kiss just below her ear. "Think you can be quiet?"

"I think I can. Can you?" she asked with a smirk.

"I think I might be able to." I grinned crookedly.

I took her hand and led her to the bedroom. As soon as I laid Catriona down, I turned to Bella and took her in my arms and laid her down where it first began. In this room, in this bed.

I silently stripped her of her clothes, running my hands over her gorgeous body and watching the way she responded with my touch. I closed the distance between us and kissed her deeply, making her take a quick gasp of air in my mouth as our tongues met.

"You know, it was a year ago today that we made that little girl over there," she whispered against my mouth.

I laughed silently and rolled us so that she was on top of me. "I'd like to get at least one full night's sleep before we start thinking about another one."

I could see her eyes roll in the soft light of the moon. "That's not what I meant, dummy."

"Thank God. We have our hands full." I pulled her down and kissed her again while she worked to remove my pajama bottoms.

"That we do," she murmured. "No foreplay. I need you, baby," she whispered as she ground her slick skin against me.

She sat up, and I bit back a groan as I watched her take me into her. Her head fell back as she put her hands on my chest, bracing herself, and started moving up and down on me, rolling her hips and biting her lip as she brought us closer and closer to release.

I grabbed her, steadying her, and sat up with her, taking her mouth with mine and pressing her chest into mine. Our glistening skin glided sinuously over one another as she continued to work herself against me.

I gritted my teeth, trying to fight off my impending orgasm. "Fucking hell, Bella. You are too good at this," I whispered roughly.

"Now you know how I feel," she breathed, raking her mouth over my shoulder and pressing a soft kiss on the scar I had there. "You can make me almost lose my mind."

I flipped her over and gave her wicked smile. "Almost?" I growled, thrusting back into her with more force.

Her brows knit as she struggled not to cry out as I cleaved myself into her, again and again, losing all sense of control as I pounded into her and listened to the sounds we made each and every time we came together.

She clenched up around me, so I grabbed her waist and lifted her up, driving into her again and causing her start to convulse around me. I watched her take the pillow and put it over her head, screaming into it as her orgasm overtook her, causing her body to tremble and shake beneath me.

I slammed into her one last time and came deep inside her, burrowing my face against her chest and letting out a small moan even though I'd tried not to.

"We've got to get her to sleep through the night so we can put her upstairs," Bella gasped as she put the pillow back. "She's entirely too old for this shit."

I chuckled softly. "She's spoiled. What do you expect?" I whispered back.

"It's your fault," she countered.

"I might have had something to do with it," I admitted. "But she's the only little girl in the family. I'm not the only one."

"That's true." She gave me a shy smile. "Are you tired?"

"Not really. Why?" I asked in confusion.

She brought her hips up, silently answering my question as she caused me to harden again inside her.

"You want it again?" I asked with a playful grin.

She blushed as she nodded in affirmation.

"I love you," I said quietly, brushing my lips against hers and bringing my hips back, then sliding back into her and watching her close her eyes.

"I love you," she whispered back.

And with achingly slow, unhurried movements, I continued to show her how much I loved her, how much I would continue to love her.

For the rest of my life.

***~***

**Everyone all together now...Awwww**

**OK--Baby name:**

**Her name is Catriona (Katrina) which is the Gaelic form of Katherine and means 'pure'. I thought Catey (Katie) would be a cute nickname for a little girl...but this name was not my first choice.**

**I really liked Aoife (Eva) because it means 'radiant beauty' and has an amazing Irish legend behind it, but it was too damn close to Eli's name to use it. Then I liked Aislinn (Ashlyn) but it was too damn close to Aiden's name to use it. I kind of screwed myself on that one...I searched Gaelic baby names for a month trying to pick something out for these two but nothing fit. Maybe I'm too picky, lol. You decide.**


	41. Epilogue

**Last update :(**

**No, I'm not doing a sequel to this. BTSATM is kicking my ass and I did so much in this freaking story, I think I might've exhausted my ideas for them, lol.**

**So, the epilogue. I did it from Eli's POV--don't kill me! I'm having serious second doubts about it now since I've not done it before. But B & E just felt...wrapped up, maybe?**

**Thanks for the reviews, adds, PMs, and whatever else I got during this story! I truly appreciate them all! I may not have ten thousand reviews like some of these stories out here, but given the fact that I don't participate in forums and whatnot, I'm pretty proud of the amount of reviews this story's gotten on it's own.**

**Countdown to Christmas is up and running! If you're interested in twenty-four days of smut filled fun, check it out. Maybe you can guess which part of the collab is mine ;) It's up on my faves list on my profile if you're interested.**

**Timeline: Epilogue takes place 12 yrs after E & B meet...**

**I didn't write Eli's speech, M. Leon did. And what a fabulous speech it is.**

**Enjoy! *cringes and looks the other way***

***~***

Epilogue

**Eli**

I stepped up to the podium, adjusting the sash around my neck and took a deep breath as I prepared to make my valedictorian speech. I felt the heat of the spotlight as it shone down on me and opened my mouth to speak the words I'd worked on with Da for weeks.

Only to be interrupted by my idiot brother.

"Ah! Somebody turn off her head! I'm blind!" Aiden shouted, covering his eyes from the glare of the light reflecting off an elderly woman's white hair.

_The fucker has no filter._

I felt the familiar burn of my cheeks and chuckled along with the rest of the audience, with the exception of my parents, who were cowering down in their seats with embarrassment.

I took two steps to the side so that I was standing at the corner of the podium and grinned at my fifteen-year-old brother. "Better?" I asked into the microphone as the spotlight shifted away from the woman two rows below him.

"Yeah, bro! Thanks!" he yelled at me, waving in appreciation.

"My brother, everyone. Aiden Cullen," I announced. "He's here all week," I said wryly.

The girls in the audience cheered and the jackass actually had the balls to stand up and bow with a flourish of his hand before my da managed to yank him back into his seat. I watched my parents both hiss at him, gesturing wildly to me as they did and rolled my eyes discreetly.

Gotta love coming from a big family.

I started my speech, concentrating on keeping my words clear and concise, looking out into the audience the entire time. My eyes roamed over my family and I nearly choked on the emotion I felt.

I wasn't a sappy guy. But the love, the pride, I saw in their faces was almost too much to bear. I'd worked my entire life to get to this point, and still had my entire life ahead of me. No one knew what I had planned; I'd kept it a secret, but I knew they'd be even more emotional when I finally told them what I'd chosen to do with my life than they were now.

Especially Da.

In the twelve years my parents had been married, the Cullen clan had expanded dramatically. I now had three brothers and one sister, as well as three other cousins.

Aiden was fifteen and already, as a sophomore, the star quarterback for the football team. He was tall and lanky, filling out more and more each day, with a fucking cannon for an arm. His main focus, besides making Mom and Da happy and doing well in school, was getting a full-ride to one of the best football colleges in the country and then hopefully going pro.

Damn, if I didn't think he was going to do it.

Girls loved him, parents loved him. He was insanely charismatic, funny, and supposedly gorgeous with his messy auburn hair, freckles, and cobalt blue eyes, though, I didn't see it. But I was a dude as well as his brother. He didn't float my boat, or whatever that saying was.

Catriona was eleven now. She was stunning with long, flowing, mahogany hair and those trademark Cullen blue eyes, set beautifully in her face and framed with thick lashes. She was as skinny as a rail now, but I knew in a couple years, she'd fill out and then Da would be getting out his guns and chasing the boys away. And if that didn't work, you could guarantee Aiden would do something to fuck up her dating life.

Poor girl didn't stand a chance.

She was Da's artistic one, loving music of all kinds, and was ingenious when it came to the piano. She was beginning to learn guitar from Da, now that her hands had gotten big enough, and took to it like a fucking duck to water. She had a voice like an angel. Listening to her sing and bop along to the music was almost hypnotic--once she brought you in, you couldn't break free.

I watched Aiden whisper something in her ear and laugh, ruffling her hair and getting smacked as he did. She rolled her eyes and tried to keep the smile off her glossy lips but couldn't. She grinned up at him and he kissed her on the top of the head. They were antagonistic with one another but there was no denying it, they had some sort of connection and were closer to one another than anyone else in our family--Mom and Da excluded.

Mom and Da went to Ireland two years after Catey was born for their honeymoon and came back with a little souvenir. My brother, Liam Edward, was eight now and was a fucking clone of Da. His hair did the same weird cowlick thing Da's did, and he had the same vivid, green eyes. He was calm and polite, acting so much like Daideo it was creepy. He was sweet and kind and loved reading and anything that had to do with the human body, becoming the next Cullen in line guaranteed to be a doctor.

He pushed his glasses up his nose and watched me intently from the edge of his seat. I winked up at him and watched his face light up.

I was going to miss that kid when I left.

I watched my mother wipe the tears from her eyes and then grip Da's hand tightly as I continued on. She held the baby in her lap as he cooed and gnawed on his hand. My little brother, Griffin Anthony Cullen. The biggest surprise they could have gotten from a drunken night on the living room floor.

They thought I didn't know exactly how it happened, since I wasn't home that weekend, but I did. I'd overheard Mom's screeches in the bathroom the morning she found out she was pregnant and Da's comforting murmurs through the door. They wanted him, they loved him, but I knew my mother was worried about genetic defects and whatever else that came with being an almost-forty-year-old pregnant lady.

I stared up at his fine, coppery hair and his big, blue eyes and saw nothing but perfection. Her worries and fears and been unnecessary.

My gaze shifted to my mother. Her hair was still long, coming down to her mid-back now instead of her waist, the waist that was still fucking tiny as hell, and her skin was still just as creamy and dewy as it was when I was a child. I was constantly told how hot my mom was from guys at school on a daily basis, which I found completely disgusting. First off, she was my _mother_ and secondly, she had five children and was happily married.

What the fuck is wrong with people sometimes?

Then there was Da. He didn't look a day older than thirty and was seriously covered in tattoos, but strangely enough, didn't look scary or match any of the stigma that was usually associated with people who had tattoos. He was approachable--sometimes too approachable if you asked Mom, who was constantly fielding come ons from other women at PTA meetings and wherever else they went. But I loved Da's tattoos, even going as far as getting one myself on my eighteenth birthday--the Quileute word for wolf, Kwoli, on my bicep.

Da pulled out a small bottle of lotion and began lubing up his newest tattoo on his shoulder muscle, reaching under his green short-sleeved polo, and rubbing the inking of a griffin he'd gotten a few weeks ago. We were all tattooed somewhere on Da's body; Aiden and I were both on his wrists, Catriona's name ran vertically down the inside of his bicep in classic Celtic script, opposite Griffin's legendary creature, and a Celtic knot for protection, Liam's tattoo, was on the inside of his forearm.

Dad and Leah were sitting beside my parents, watching me and murmuring to each other as I spoke. I looked so much like my father; we had the same height and muscular build, and my facial features bore a striking resemblance to his. He'd cut his hair short, letting if flop over his forehead, similar to the way mine did when I didn't have any gel in it, and the black was beginning to be peppered with gray at his temples. We shared the same eyes, same deep, husky voice, and the same ultra-white smile, but I was nothing like him. I was my mother's child, a product of my environment, taking on traits from my da as I grew up, like the way he ran his hand through his chaotic hair when he was nervous or the way he pinched the bridge of his nose when he was angry. I bit my lip like Mom when I was worried and my cheeks flushed when I was embarrassed about something.

I loved my father, as much as I could given the fact that he lived so far away. I didn't bear him any ill-will for moving back to Washington, even though I sometimes jokingly referred to him as the sperm donor. The only regret I could ever have about my relationship with him was that it was nothing like the one I had with Da.

Dad and Leah never had any kids, which everyone knew was because of something on Leah's side, since I am so obviously my father's offspring. But even though Mom tried to convince Dad to adopt, he never would, claiming that I was enough for him and that if he was supposed to have any more kids, he would have. I didn't necessarily agree, because then where did that leave Aiden? I couldn't even imagine that ass not being in my life for one minute.

I stopped looking at my family and focused on my speech. I was almost finished, almost to the point to where I would leave this school and drive to our family's restaurant and meet up with the rest of the Cullen's and make the announcement that had been trying to burst out of me all day.

"Life is a series of passageways, and we are leaving one and moving on to the next. When we reach that daunting place next year that has been our destination for four years now, we will start over.

"We will meet new people, make new friends, and learn new things. We will grow older, more responsible, and independent. And after that, we are left to traverse the unmapped expanse that is our future.

"Hereafter our lives will hold many surprises for us, but I'm sure that we will approach challenges with the same boldness and equanimity with which we tackle problems currently. The unknown of our future may seem frightening now, looming over us like a dark thundercloud, but we might find that it is just a light, spring rain that brings the tidings of a rainbow.

"As I look over the many faces I behold today, perceptions of individuals are washed away. I no longer see people as they were; I see them as they will be. So, rather than a young boy, failing all his classes, I see the next Einstein, making revolutionary discoveries. I know that this amphitheatre holds the next decade's great business leaders, doctors, politicians, scientists, and stars, and that all of these graduates will contribute to the fabric of the future in some way.

"So when looking at the bright horizon that is my future, I am happy. For although my life will contain sadness and heartbreak, it will also hold joy, love, and success. And I know my classmates' will too. So don't look back, and regret, my friends, look forward, and smile."

* * *

I came out of the dressing area with my robe slung over my shoulder and my cap in my hand, scanning the crowd for my parents.

They weren't hard to find.

Mom was passing a screaming Griffin off to Da, both of them trying to console him by bouncing him around and cooing to him. Mom ran her hand over his head and looked up at Da.

There it was. That look I'd spent my entire life bearing witness to. The one that, even through the exasperation and annoyance, shone through in everything they did. The look I'd spend my entire life chasing after if it meant just having a fraction of what my parents had--the love, devotion, adoration.

"Black!" Maggie's tinkling voice rang out over the constant murmurs of the crowd.

"Mags!" I shouted back, turning just in time to avoid getting leaped on.

Her tiny arms wrapped around me quickly before she pulled back. "Great speech!"

"Thanks," I said, feeling the heat rise to my cheeks.

"Oh, look at you. You're all embarrassed." She punched my shoulder while her green eyes were filled with amusement.

I saw my parents watching us out of the corner of my eye. "Are you coming to Ballina?"

"Are you telling everyone where you're going to college?" she countered.

I grinned down at her. "I am."

"Then I'll be there." She stood up on her toes and gave me a quick kiss on the cheek that seemed to set my skin on fire.

I stared down at her in stunned silence, trying to place the frenzy of emotions going through me, before I watched Maggie's flaming hair bounce lightly as she walked away. In the ten years we'd known each other, she'd never so much as done anything outside of hugging me--until today. I ran my hand over my still stuttering heart as I watched my best friend leave with her parents.

I felt Da's hand clasp my shoulder before I heard his voice in my ear. "Go get her."

"What?" I asked, still blindsided by what was happening inside me.

He studied my face and then shook his head. "Never mind. You did great on your speech," he complimented. "Congratulations. Feel any different?"

"Nope. Still the same ol' Eli Black."

He chuckled. "That you are. Come on, your brother's hungry and Mom would rather not nurse him here."

"Okay." I paused. "Hey, can I let Aiden drive me there?"

Da's steps faltered. "You want to let your brother...drive your _Mustang_?" he asked incredulously.

"Well, the boy sucks at driving." Da snorted. "It's my civic duty to the other citizens in Chicago to teach him how not to run people off the road. What kind of adult would I be otherwise?" I said with a grin.

"Fine. But if he tears up the traney, _you_ are paying to replace it."

I nodded. "See ya there."

I searched for Aiden and found him in the corner, surrounded by a group of girls, smiling down at them and flirting shamelessly. Catey was with him, studiously ignoring the mindless groupies and texting someone on her phone with her purple, sparkly-painted fingers.

"Catey Cat!" I shouted at her as I walked up. I wrapped my arm around her and pulled her to me. "What do you say we test out your daredevil tendencies today?"

"My what?" she asked, looking up at me in confusion.

"I'm letting Aiden drive my car to Ballina," I explained. "Want to go?"

She bit down on her pouty lip. "I don't know, Eli. I kind of like my face. And my life." She giggled.

"Come on," I encouraged.

"Oh, all right. Do Mom and Da know?"

"Text Da and tell him you're going with us." She nodded and pulled her phone back out so I turned my attention to Aiden. "Let's go, bro."

"I'm kind of busy here," he said with a pointed look.

I held up my car keys and let them dangle in his cocky face. "Really? That's too bad. Guess I'll drive the Mustang myself."

He snatched them out of my hand and flashed the girls a smile. "See ya, ladies."

We got into the car and I threw Aiden a warning look. "Don't fuck up my car."

"Watch it, Eli! There are young ears present. Catey?" he asked, looking in the rearview mirror. "Put your ear muffs on, sweetie," he said condescendingly.

She glared at him in the mirror. "Shut up and drive. If you can," she challenged.

He laughed once. "Feisty."

He managed to back out of the parking space without any trouble and then gunned it out of the parking lot, nearly hitting two pedestrians that were crossing the road.

"Jesus fucking Christ!" I yelled at him, swallowing my heart back down. "I'd like to actually make it to college, asshole."

"Death by heart attack?" he asked, cocking his brow.

"Something like that," I mumbled.

He stopped at a light and started flipping through the radio station until he found some techno bullshit and stopped. I listened to it for a fraction of a second and then turned it off.

"Hey!" he said indignantly.

"Light's green," I said, never looking at him.

He shifted the car into first and ground the gears as he took off, making me cringe in my seat. He did it again as he shifted from second to third, and Catey laughed in the backseat.

"I think you left something back there," she said, still laughing.

"I'd say fuck you, but I think Da would get pissed if I did," he retorted. "But the meaning's still the same."

"Hey, buddy. You'd better watch it," she said, narrowing her eyes. "I'll get your butt grounded if you keep it up."

I laughed loudly. She was just like Mom.

He ran a red light and I hid my face behind my hands. "You're never getting your license." My heart was thudding loudly in my chest.

"I'm not _that_ bad!" he argued.

"Yes. You are. Do you think your biological parents are this bad at driving and that it's a hereditary trait? You're a hazard to the entire state of Illinois," I said, laughing.

He slid me a glare."You've solved the mystery. Good job, Scooby fucking Doo."

I gritted my teeth when it looked like he was going to swipe a light post with the side mirror. "Maybe you should take the 'L' everywhere."

"Nope." He popped the 'p'. "I'll learn. Now quit talking. You're distracting me."

We made it to Ballina without further incident, and Aiden parked the car crookedly next to Da's black SUV.

"Well, I see the car made it in one piece and none of my kids are missing appendages," Mom said, shifting the baby in her arms.

"But I scared ten years off Eli's life," Aiden laughed.

"Aiden managed to nearly send two pedestrians to the hospital, leave my transmission lying in the middle of the road somewhere, and ran not one, but two red lights. My life seriously flashed before my eyes. Fucking scary as hell," I told her.

"Watch it," she said evenly.

"Sorry," I said sheepishly.

"Maggie's here," she said lightly.

I felt the strange surge of hope and excitement rush through me and struggled to keep my face blank. "Is she?" I asked nonchalantly.

I didn't fool her. "She is," she smirked. "Let's go, Liam is _starving_."

We started into the building, trailing behind Aiden and Catey. "You know, if you and Maggie..." She trailed off, blushing.

"Mom. She's my best friend."

"I know, but I just...I think..." I stopped and looked at her. She never stammered. "I'm too young to be a grandmother," she blurted out, holding Griffin up as proof. "So, don't make me one."

I laughed yet flushed at the same time. "I'll be safe. No matter who it's with, I promise." I slid her a playful look. "Besides, I know how much you and Da like to fuck like bunnies. Of course you're not ready to be and grandmother. You'll probably end up with another kid before it's all over."

She drew in a quick, loud breath with shock. "Eli Jacob Black, I cannot believe you just said that to me!" she screeched.

"Why?"

Her face was turning redder by the moment. She pressed her lips together, trying to keep from smiling and then burst out laughing, startling the baby. "You are so much like your dad sometimes. He used to say things like that to me just to watch me blush."

"I'm not like Dad, am I?" I asked curiously.

"You are more than you realize." She patted my cheek. "You're a good mix of all of us, baby."

I walked into the restaurant, frowning, still thinking about her words. About Maggie. My dad.

_'You are so much like your dad sometimes'. _

I knew the story--part of it, anyway. Dad was in love with Mom when they were teenagers, only he didn't tell her and basically ended up losing her. Which worked out for everyone since Mom met Da and Dad met Leah.

But was I _that_ much like him? Was I in love with my best friend like he was so many years ago? I looked around and saw her; hair like a fiery sunset and eyes as green as the misty seas. She mesmerized me in the way she tilted her head back when she laughed and the way her black dress fell over her slim body. Her pale skin had intricate patterns of freckles in strategic places--over the bridge of her nose, on the tops of her shoulders.

And then all at once, the world fell away, and everything inside me seemed to...click into place.

"Son of a bitch," I breathed in awe.

I was exactly like my dad.

"Figure it out?" Dad asked, taking a drink and turning his gaze towards Maggie.

"Does everyone fucking know?" I snapped.

"Everyone but you. And her." He shifted his body so that he was facing me. "She loves you back. It's not the same as me and your mom."

"How do you know?" I asked him.

"I see it in the way she smiles at you," he answered. "Just don't screw it up by running scared."

I nodded and stood rooted in place. I watched her some more, speaking to our friends and bringing her drink up to her perfect, pink lips--lips I suddenly wanted to taste and feel against my own--until she turned and smiled at me.

I saw it. For a brief moment, I saw the adoring look in her eyes--the same look that I'd seen day in and day out between Mom and Da--before she quickly pushed it down. I started towards her, determined to take her here, now, and tell her how much I loved her.

But stopped. I couldn't do it while we were at a party. At least, not in a room crowded with my friends and family. It needed to be privately and on my own terms, someplace she could tell me how she honestly felt without feeling the pressure of everyone watching her.

I turned back towards the rest of my family and scooped my cousin, Gracie, up in my arms. "Gracie Lou! I missed you!"

Her jet black hair fell out of her bow and her entire face scrunched up with her laugh. Her pale blue eyes stared back at me as she took my face in her tiny hands and looked at me seriously. "I'm not Gracie Lou!"

"Oh, sorry," I said, tweaking her little six-year-old nose. "I forgot your middle name is Mud."

"Eli! My name's Grace Isabella Whitlock!" she protested. "I'm named after your mommy!"

"You know, you'd think I could remember that." I shrugged and sat her down. "Oh, well."

"Eli!" Liam screamed at me, racing across the room with a huge book in his hands. "Guess what Da got me!"

"I have no idea."

He held up the book so I could see it. "He got me an anatomy book!"

I laughed. "That's perfect. How far have you read already?"

"Three chapters," he said proudly. "I just started the chapter about bones when we got here."

"You learn what the main tissue groups are yet?" He nodded and grinned at me. "What are they?"

"Muscular, nervous, connective, and epi...epi..." He stuttered on the last type.

"Epithelial," I offered.

"Yeah! Epithelial," he said slowly, making sure he got it right.

"Good job, bub."

I went over to the huge table that was covered in food, cake, and drinks and started making my plate. Aunt Alice and Uncle Jasper came over and congratulated me, followed by Aunt Rosalie and Uncle Emmett, with their twins, Molly and Cole. I talked to my blond haired cousins about their plans for the summer--which seemed to revolve entirely around swimming--and then sat down.

Daideo and Mamó came and sat next to me. "So, when are you telling everyone?" Mamó inquired.

"When I get up for cake?" I answered, making it sound like a question.

Daideo took a bite of his potato cake. "Sounds good. We're extremely proud of you," he said, smiling at me.

"Thanks." I blushed slightly.

"Edward will love it," Mamó said, pushing a piece of hair off my forehead.

"Thanks for helping me keep it a secret. For taking me to Annapolis last year when I started the prelims."

"You're welcome," they said together.

I finished eating and then got up and headed to the front of the room. I cleared my throat loudly and got everyone's attention immediately.

"Hi," I said nervously, getting a few chuckles. "So, I thought I'd do this today, while everyone is here so I don't have to repeat myself over and over again. My grandparents, Carlisle and Esme Cullen, have been helping me with this for over a year now. They've helped me get my nominations, take my medical exam and fitness test, and even took me to my interview." I took a deep breath and looked straight at Da. "I got accepted to USNA at the beginning of last month." I bit my lip anxiously as I waited for my da's reponse.

His brows knit and he took a deep breath, looking down at Griffin and shifting my sleeping brother in his arms. He looked back up and blinked away the tears that were trying to form in his eyes. I took my own breath and reveled in the pleasure of this moment.

"You're going to Annapolis?" Mom squealed excitedly.

I laughed. "Yeah. I didn't say anything because I didn't want to get anyone's hopes up and wind up getting turned down."

Da cleared his throat twice before he could speak. "What are you majoring in, Midshipman Black?"

I grinned widely. "Aerospace Engineering. I'd like to be a pilot."

"You'll make a great pilot," he said, smiling genuinely at me.

I fielded everyone's questions and congratulations for the rest of the afternoon. Finally, when I'd had enough and the crowd started to dissipate, I grabbed Maggie's hand and led her outside. I was going to tell her now. I wasn't going to run scared and risk losing her.

"What the hell is the matter with you?" she giggled. "You just told everyone you're going to Navy Academy and you're leaving?"

"I just...I need..." I stared into her eyes and tried to figure out how to tell her I loved her, only to come up short. "Oh, fuck it. I'm in love with you."

Her green eyes widened and her breath caught in her throat. "You're in love with me?"

I nodded and shoved my hands in my pockets because I wanted to grab her and yank her into some sort of mind-numbing kiss. "Yep."

She laughed once. "Then why are you just standing there?"

I cocked my head to the side and gave her a questioning look. "What?"

"If you love me, kiss me," she said with a sly grin.

I didn't give myself a chance to think, I just pulled her into my arms and crushed my mouth to hers. Her mouth was so warm and sensual, causing my pulse to thud loudly behind my ears as the fire rushed through my body. She moaned softly into my mouth and wrapped her arms around my neck, standing on her toes to reach my mouth better. Every part of my body seemed to come alive with her touch.

I heard the faint noise of the door opening, but never broke away from Maggie's glorious mouth. "Whoops," my mother said softly.

I broke away and looked at my parents sheepishly. "Hi."

"We were just leaving," Mom said, pulling Da back.

He got one foot in the door and spun around, grinning crookedly. "It's about time you two got your shit together."

I looked down at Maggie and abruptly stepped back, dropping my hands to my side, uncertain of how she felt. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have..." I drug my hand through my hair and took a deep breath.

"Eli," she said softly, running her fingers over my jaw and making it tingle. "Why do you think I busted my ass to get into Johns Hopkins?"

"Why?" I asked, dumbfounded.

"Because it's something like forty-five minutes away from Annapolis. Because I couldn't stand to be away from you. Because I love you."

"Yeah?" I asked, smiling broadly at her.

"Yeah." She paused and took my face in her hands. "Do that again?"

"What, kiss you?" She nodded once, looking at me expectantly. I brushed my lips against hers once and pulled away. "I'll do it every day, all day, for as long as you'll have me."

"That sounds perfect," she whispered.

I took her mouth with mine again, this time taking my time and letting the emotions that were filling me flood my heart and my mind. I thought about my speech earlier and the last line I'd spent weeks trying to perfect.

I was on the horizon of my future, and I was joyously fucking happy. There was no way I could ever look back on the past with regret, because now, I was moving forward towards the unknown with a smile.

And Maggie by my side.


	42. Outtake 1

**I got a lot of requests to keep going, LOL. To fill in some missing blanks from the 12 years we missed with E & B and to do a sort of spin off story with Eli and Maggie. So, I'm doing it all. Everything will be updated to this story to keep it all together. I don't know how many outtakes there are yet (so far I've outlined 12) and I have no clue what Eli and Maggie's story will be about except living in MD and eventually starting a life together-I haven't thought that far yet.**

**I do know most of this is going to be the fluffy HEA mixed with some lemons and that it'll probably only be updated once a week because I've got a shitstorm of things in my brain for my other two stories. **

**So, here's the first outtake. The missing piece of the wedding night. If you don't like bum lovin' then hit that little X and come back next time ;) Next outtake is half way written and is B & E telling the family about B being pregnant with Catey.**

**This is ridiculously short-just barely over a thousand words, but seriously, most of the lemons were already written out in the chapter.**

**If you missed it, LEMON AHEAD!**

* * *

Outtake One: Forbidden

**Edward**

"We should get married more often," she said with a breathless giggle.

"We should," I agreed. "That was the best fucking sex I've ever had in my life. And we've had a lot of good sex."

"It was."

"I'm not done though," I said, shifting us so that my weight wasn't crushing her.

"You're not?" she asked in shock.

"Oh, fuck no. We're only getting married once. I'm going to make it so that when we catch our flight tomorrow night, you'll be walking funny."

She snorted. "How romantic."

"There'll be some romance in there somewhere," I said with a crooked grin. "But I've got to get over you... uh, yeah." I could feel myself growing hard inside her again with just the thought that she was bare around me.

She laughed. "If I'd have known a wax would get this reaction from you, I'd have been doing it all along. It was definitely worth the pain."

"No, oh, God, no. Not unless you want to spend the rest of our lives in bed. I can't... Jesus, just the fucking thought of it makes me want to..." I shook my head and tried to clear the violent thoughts.

"Edward, I'm not breakable. You know that." She bit her lip and looked at me coyly. "What do you want to do?"

"I want to do so many things to you." My mind was racing with the possibilities. "But first, I think..." I trailed off and finished my sentence in a whisper against her ear.

She let out a strangled, shocked, choking sound and I pulled back to see her reaction. Her eyes were huge, staring at me in wonder.

"Have you never thought about it?" She shook her head mutely. "Really?" I asked incredulously.

"Uh-uh."

I pulled out of her and slipped my fingers inside her, gathering the wetness and spreading it towards her lower hole. "Well? What do you think? I'll be careful..." I circled it with my thumb and used my other hand to gently stroke her clit.

She mewled softly and closed her eyes, nodding her head as she let herself become steeped in the sensations I was giving her.

I gave her a slow, sinful smile as I continued to work her, reaching out for a bottle of lube Alice and Rosalie happened to give Bella before getting her close to the edge and letting her come back down so that she was completely relaxed. I dipped my index finger into her one last time before moving it back to her lower hole, coating my entire hand, and gently slipping a finger inside her.

I moved my fingers achingly slow, teasing her clit with one hand and moving my other finger in and out of her. When she'd completely adjusted to the feel of what I was doing, I added another finger, causing her to cry out softly. I flicked her clit hard to distract her from the feel of my fingers stretching her and watched her slowly unwind at my hands.

I slowly pumped them in and out until she was on the brink of orgasm again. Her body trembled with need as I turned her around so that she was on her hands and knees. I slipped inside her, thrusting into her a few times, before pulling out. I dipped into her one last time, almost wanting nothing more than to stay inside her, and then trailed my dick up that line again, watching it glisten as I did.

Lubed up again, I slowly pushed the tip of my dick in, causing her to moan loudly. I reached around her body and slipped my fingers inside her while my thumb stroked her clit. I grabbed her hip with my other hand, holding her steady, and began pushing myself inside her in an unhurried movement.

I felt her tense up, so I stilled, and concentrated on making her feel good again. She relaxed and started to clench up around my fingers as she neared her release. I pushed into her again, feeling her natural resistance and slowly moved past it.

Once I was all the way inside her, I gritted my teeth as I let us both adjust to the feel of me inside her this way.

"Jesus fucking God," I grunted, trying hard to keep myself from spilling inside her already. "You feel so fucking good like this."

"Edward," she moaned breathlessly.

"Give it a second..."

She nodded and closed her eyes, the tension slowly fading from her body as she adjusted.

I pulled my hips back and thrust into her in shallow movements, listening to the way she responded as I slowly made my thrusts deeper each time. I took my time, making sure I didn't hurt her, and that this felt as good for her as it did for me. Because it was fucking taking over my entire being, this extreme desperation to fuck her body like this. I could feel nothing anymore except the way she felt under my hands and the way if felt to have her wrapped so tightly around me.

I worked her body with my hand as I continued to move inside her, and it wasn't long until her body practically vibrated under me as she came hard and quick. She screamed out and dropped her head down to her arms, pushing herself into my movements.

The feel of her pulsing around my fingers, the squeezing of her muscles around me in a way I never knew possible, pushed me over the edge. I took a ragged breath and pulled my hand out of her, grabbing the other side of her hips, and drove into her one last time.

I twitched, every muscle in my body shook, as my orgasm rocketed through my body in a blinding wave of heat. I let out a strangled cry as I came inside her and collapsed on top of her, pulling out slowly and trailing my mouth along her glistening skin in a sort of awed silence.

Words couldn't even describe the way it felt to be with her like that. To experience something so new and forbidden with the woman I'd vowed to spend my life with.

"I..." I gasped. "I love you."

Her heart hammered against my ear as I pressed it to her back. "I love you."

* * *

**So, um, yeah. Short and quick. Painless...well, for us anyways. Oh, and by the way...**

**1400 FUCKING REVIEWS! HOLY SHIT! THANK YOU! **

**I'm good now.**


	43. Outtake 2

**I almost tagged a lemon here on the end, but I wanted to save it for the honeymoon, cause I thought the one I had in mind would be better there. Anyway, next outtake is going to be the ultrasound and is from EPOV since a lot of people like to read about Dadward ;)**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Outtake 2: Spreading the Joy

**Bella**

My teeth were chattering with nerves. Actually audibly clicking against one another and sounding throughout the kitchen over the sizzles and boiling of the pots and pans on the range. I reached to turn the chicken, and watched my hand in awe as it shook the tongs violently in the air.

_I think I'm going to be sick again._

For the eighth time today, I ran to the nearest plumbing fixture and retched into it. I groaned and grabbed the bottle of mouthwash off the counter--because I had one in every room now--and rinsed my mouth out before I bleached out the kitchen sink, trying not to breathe in the thick, burning fumes so that I didn't throw up, yet again.

I wiped off the sheen that had formed on my forehead and went back to dinner. And started shaking again.

"I just saw Emmett and Rose pull in the driveway. Alice, Jasper, and my parents shouldn't be too far behind them," Edward said as he walked into the kitchen. "Damn, it smells good."

"Good." I clenched my teeth together so that Edward didn't see how petrified I was.

"Shit, Bella." He raced over to me and wrapped his arms around me. "What the fuck is the matter with you?" he asked, frantically examining me. "There's nothing wrong is there? With you? The baby?"

"No." I felt the hot, irrational tears fill my eyes as I looked up at him. "What if they're not happy for us?"

His brows furrowed. "Who?"

"Everyone. Your family," I wailed.

I saw the relief mix with humor as it washed across his face. "Oh, Bella. Of course they'll be happy. Why the hell wouldn't they?"

"What if they think we're stupid? That we're moving too fast? We just got Aiden and got married a month ago and now were having a baby. I..." I buried my face into his chest and sobbed.

He stroked my hair and kissed me sweetly on the top of my head. "Bella," he whispered. "Have a little faith."

The doorbell chimed throughout the house, so I abruptly pulled back and wiped my face with the back of my hand. "You're right. Sorry."

He smiled warmly down at me. "You're all right now?"

"I'm okay. Still nervous," I held my hand out between us and let him see it shake, "but okay."

"All right." He gave me a quick kiss and then spun around. "My God, woman. You've got to get those hormones in check before I toss your ass into the street." He threw me a wink as he left the room.

I laughed as I went back to the chicken. "I'm an idiot."

Emmett's loud voice came booming through the house, followed by Eli and Aiden's excited screams. I heard the familiar click of Rosalie's heels come into the kitchen and pause.

I turned around to see her eyeing the bottle of mouthwash curiously. "I forgot to put it away," I mumbled.

She nodded once. "Need any help?"

"From you?" I asked incredulously. "Hell no."

"You look sick," she commented.

"Just a bug. It'll go away." In about five weeks or so. "Sit down. Have some wine."

"Aren't you drinking anything?"

"Nah. I took some medicine earlier. I don't want to mix the two." I was surprised at how easily the lie came. "Especially with the boys around."

She smiled at me. "I don't blame you there. They're a handful."

"They are." I grinned back. "Could you imagine me being drunk and trying to keep them in line?"

"You might as well give them the keys to that new car out there and call it a night."

"Momma!" Eli yelled, as if he knew we were talking about him. "Aiden won't give me Buzz," he whined.

"Eli, let Mom finish dinner," Edward chastised as he picked him up and threw him over his shoulder. "How much longer do you think it'll be?"

"Are you hungry?" I asked, cocking my brow.

"Always."

"Da!" Eli pounded on Edward's back. "Put me down!"

"Um, no. Not until you promise to stop being such a tattle tale."

"Da!" Eli giggled. "I'm not a tattle tale."

"Oh really?" Edward craned his neck up to look at him. "Is that why I heard you complaining about Aiden having Buzz?"

"But I want him," he whined.

"And you need to wait your turn. You can't expect us to take him away from him, just because you want him, can you?"

"Yeah?" Eli asked, biting his lip.

Edward rolled his eyes and sat him down. "Go wash up for dinner." He ruffled his hair as he started to run away, causing Eli to stop in his tracks.

"Hey! Don't mess up the do!"

We all laughed. "Excuse me," Edward said, still chuckling. "I didn't know you'd become such a girl."

"I'm not a girl!" Eli protested.

"Then why are you worried about your hair?"

He shrugged. "I dunno." He raced out of the room, yelling at Aiden to get his hands washed for dinner.

Alice and Jasper arrived next, and Alice helped me set the dining room table and put the food out, grinning at me conspiratorially then entire time. Carlisle and Esme rang the bell, just as I sat the chicken down in the center of the table.

They stripped out of their jackets and took them to our bedroom themselves before being attacked by the boys. With Aiden on Esme's hip, she came over and gave me a quick one-armed hug and casually mentioned how beautiful I looked, and then helped me make Eli and Aiden's plates.

We all sat down and started passing around the food while the boys talked to everyone excitedly.

Carlisle looked down at his plate and speared a zucchini slice with his fork. "This is some spread, Bella." He motioned to the massive amount of food littering the center of the table. "What's the special occasion?"

"Uh..." I looked to Edward for help.

He shook his head and chuckled at me. "Well, Dad, Bella and I have an announcement."

"Oh?" He put his fork down and grinned at us. "Good news, I presume?"

"I'm sure you can figure it out," Edward said with his own grin lighting up his face.

"I'm sure I can, but why don't you tell everyone else, because they all seem to be a bit confused."

Edward nudged me under the table, signaling that he wanted me to tell everyone. "Oh! Um, I'm pregnant." My face flushed hotly as soon as the words were out of my mouth.

"No shit?" Emmett boomed gleefully, then immediately cringed with regret. "Sorry. No crap?"

I laughed. "No crap."

"I knew it!" Rosalie exclaimed. "You're not drinking and you looked like you were going to hurl into the sink at any given second when you were cooking. When are you due?"

"Towards the end of September," Edward answered, wrapping his arm around me.

Esme sniffled and got up to place soft kisses on the tops of mine and Edward's heads. "This is such good news." She looked over at Eli and beamed at him. "What do you think, sweetie? Are you excited to get a new baby brother or sister?"

Eli looked at us, confused. "But I already got a brother. I'm getting another one? Where is he?"

I nodded. "Da and I are having a baby. You might get another brother. Or you might get a sister."

"But your belly's not big," he argued, looking under the table at my stomach, completely baffled.

"Not yet, buddy. The baby has to get bigger before Mom's tummy does," Edward explained.

"So, you put the baby in Momma?"

Edward chuckled. "Yep."

"Huh." Eli sat and processed that. "And I have to wait for it to come out of Momma's belly?"

"Yeah, you do," Edward answered.

"Well, that sucks." Eli frowned. "How long does that take again?"

I giggled. "Nine months."

"Nine whole months?" Eli shouted with big eyes. "Jeez! That's forever!"

"It'll be here sooner than you think," Jasper chimed in with a humored smile playing on his lips. "I promise."

"We need cake or something!" Alice chirped happily. "To celebrate!"

My stomach rolled violently. "No. No cake." I swallowed the nausea down.

Alice's face fell. "Well, then, what about a baby shower sometime this summer?"

I shifted uncomfortably with everyone's stare. "This isn't my first baby. Isn't it against etiquette to have a baby shower if you've already got kids?"

"But it's _our_ first baby," she argued. "Edward's the first Cullen to have a _baby_ baby. He's the first Cullen to have kids period." She watched me bite my lip. "Please?"

I saw the hopeful expression on Esme's face and couldn't say no. "All right."

"Yay!" Alice squealed, bouncing in her seat excitedly. "Oh, this is going to be so much fun! What do you think about July?"

"I think it's a long way away to be worrying about it now," I answered. "But July sounds fine."

I took a bite of chicken just as Edward pressed his lips to my temple. "I told you, you had nothing to worry about. They're all just as excited as we are."

"You're excited?"

He gave me a look like it was obvious. "I'm so excited, I'm agreeing with Eli. Nine months is an awfully long time to wait to meet my son."

"Son? Uh-uh. It's a girl."

He flashed me a crooked grin. "We'll see."


	44. Outtake 3

**Ah...I feel cheesy and dissatisfied, LOL. Probably because I'm still fucking sick and when I am, nothing I write or think up sounds good. Fun times ;)**

**Anyways, I hope everyone had a good Christmas and that everyone has a safe and happy New Year tomorrow! I have a babysitter and plan to spend some much needed time with my friends!**

**Oh, that reminds me, I'm always getting comments about how great this Edward is with kids. And I've mentioned before, he's loosely based on a Marine friend of mine, who is AMAZING with children. He moved down here and had my kids eating out of the palm of his hand the first time they met him--which is a feat in itself since my kids are all very shy. When he got back from Iraq, he went back to school--majoring in elementary education. Having the gorgeous, tatted up, tough, military exterior and the soft, gooey center just seemed to fit for this Edward.**

**As always, thanks for the reviews!**

**Next outtake is the opening of the restaurant (another cheesy one) and then we'll get some good lemons in with the honeymoon because God knows I need some for these two...**

**Also, if anyone has any suggestions about the spin-off story for Eli and Maggie, let me know! I'm going to need to start outlining it soon and would love to hear any ideas you all have !**

* * *

Outtake 3: First Sight

Edward

I stood back and admired the picturesque view in front of me. It was an unseasonably warm day at the beginning of May, and Bella and I had decided to take the boys out on the boat since we'd barely gotten a chance to use it last summer; between Jacob, Jane, and the two of us trying to spend time together, it had sat at the marina, unused, for almost a year. I'd even thought about selling it, but Bella convinced me to keep it. And I was glad now I had.

We hadn't been able to go far, since I was on call, but we'd enjoyed the day out regardless. The sun was now beginning to set, casting a warm glow over my family and making the lake sparkle and shimmer beside us. Eli and Aiden were playing in the fort they'd built in the sand. The water was still too cold to swim in, so they spent the afternoon digging a hole in the swell of the land and covering it with a fallen branch.

Eli the fucking engineer.

He'd designed and executed the building of the fort, with Aiden following and mimicking his every move. I'd only had to help twice--once to dig a large branch out of their way and then again to cover the top of the fort so they were hidden from sight.

Bella was lying on a towel in the royal blue bikini I loved so much when I first saw her, only this time, it was different. Not only was she mine, she was carrying my child.

I took my sunglasses off and rested them on my head over my hat and just watched her. She was propped up on her elbows, her long, mahogany hair tumbling down to the ground behind her and her entire face was lit up with humor as she watched Eli and Aiden tumble out of the fort and screaming at their invisible attackers. Her body glistened in the sun with the dew of sweat and her round, full curves practically begged me to take her into the woods and claim her.

I fucking loved Bella pregnant.

She was a little hormonal at times, and the morning sickness was torture for her, lasting all day and surprising her at random moments, but it had finally passed, leaving my wife with an inner glow that made her look radiant. Her milky skin was taunting me as she shifted on the towel, her burgeoning breasts almost spilled over her top; if there was one thing I had to choose as my favorite side effect of Bella's pregnancy, it would be the glorious fucking rack she'd recently been blessed with.

Her hand shot down to the round, rapidly growing bump that was our baby, and she rubbed absently while it kicked and moved inside her. I could hardly keep my hands off the baby myself, always wanting to feel its stretches and movements under my fingers. I was nearly vibrating with excitement when I thought of meeting my child for the first time. To finally get to meet the little boy or girl we'd made on our wedding night.

And tomorrow, I'd get to see it for the first time.

Bella looked over and flushed as she met my intense gaze. Shifting self-consciously, she pulled her lip between her teeth and cocked her head to the side. "What?"

I shook my head and grinned, closing the distance between us and lying beside her. "Nothing. You're so beautiful," I murmured, putting my hand over hers on her stomach. "Is he moving around a lot?"

"_She's_ kicking me like crazy all of the sudden." I felt a small jab under my wrist and smiled. "See?"

I made a contented noise in my throat. "Are you sure you don't want to find out the sex tomorrow? It would save a lot of arguments."

She shook her head adamantly. "No! I want to be surprised. But you can find out if you want and keep it to yourself."

"I'm not finding out if you aren't. I can wait. We'll just have to drive each other fucking crazy for the next four months arguing whether it's a boy or a girl."

"So stop arguing with me," she said with a sly smile.

It was my turn to shake my head. "Admit I'm right, and I will." She started to object again, but was interrupted by the beeping of my phone, indicating I was needed back at the hospital. "Damn," I muttered.

"Being married to a successful surgeon sucks sometimes," she sighed.

I quickly replied and turned back to my wife. "Being on call sucks."

"It's okay. You're home more than most doctors. I can't complain." She yawned and smiled sheepishly.

"Time to get Preggo home and in bed, anyway," I chuckled.

She rolled her eyes. "I'm not sure I like that little nickname."

I shrugged. "It's the truth. And I couldn't be happier about it." I kissed her quickly and stood up before she could say anything else. "Come on, soldiers, we need to get going. I have to get back to work."

Grumbles and groans erupted from inside the fort, but the boys reluctantly got out. "Do we have to, Da?" Eli whined.

"We have to. I have to get back and open a guy up. Look at all his nasty guts." The boys made disgusted faces. " So, hurry up and help me get everything picked up, please."

More grumbling was followed, but they did it anyway.

After I had everything loaded back into the boat, I helped Bella up and then gave the boys boosts and watched them clamber inside. They got their lifejackets back on while I pulled the anchor out of the ground, and then got into the boat and headed back to the marina.

Once back home, Bella got the boys into the bath while I took a quick shower and changed into my scrubs. I gave everyone quick kisses and darted out the door and headed towards the hospital.

My night was irritatingly long. After I finished repairing the woman I'd been called in for's spleen and pancreas, I learned they were short-staffed in the ER and I was the only available surgical attending for the next few hours. I fucking hated the ER. I hated the sickness, the despair, that the waiting room held. I hated having to babysit drunks and drug addicts and treat criminals who'd been injured when they were pursued by the police. The only redeeming part of working the ER was when a trauma came in. When I was expected to think and act quickly and was in complete control of everyone around me. Or when I diagnosed something that needed surgical repair and was able to sneak out of the pit.

Too bad there were no serious traumas the entire time I was there. Nothing to make my time go by any faster.

I finally got back home around two in the morning and collapsed into the bed next to Bella.

After lying there for a moment, I propped myself up in between Bella's legs and kissed the baby through her skin. "Hey, baby. How are you tonight?" It had almost become a nightly ritual that I talked to the baby before we went to sleep.

Bella giggled. "What are you teaching her tonight?"

I rolled my eyes. "I thought I might tell our son how to do a cricothyroidotomy."

"A what?" she asked in confusion.

"A cricothyroidotomy," I repeated pulling myself up so that I could reach Bella's throat. "It's where you make an incision through the cricothyroid membrane to intubate." I traced a line on her throat with my finger. "It's easier and faster than a tracheostomy. I've unfortunately had to do a few."

"Oh." She patted her stomach. "Well, explain it. But I don't think she can hear you yet."

"Well, then I guess I'm just wasting my breath." I grinned crookedly at her.

She smiled back. "Did you eat?"

"I had a sandwich from the wonderful fucking vending machine while I stood around and did nothing of interest," I said disdainfully.

She ran her fingers through my hair soothingly. "I'm sorry you had a bad night."

I shrugged. "No big deal. I'm home now." I ran my finger over her lips. "You should be asleep."

"I can't sleep without you here," she said with a blush.

"Well, I'm here now," I whispered, pulling her against me and resting my hand over the baby. "So sleep."

* * *

"Rise and shine," I said happily, kissing Bella's forehead.

"Two more minutes," she grumbled.

"No can do, baby. Get up. We've got things to do this morning."

She opened one eye and peeked over at me. "How are you so damn cheerful after only four hours of sleep?"

"I'm excited," I answered as if it explained it all. "Aren't you fucking excited? We get to see the baby today."

"I'm excited on the inside," she mumbled, making me laugh.

"Would you like your one cup of coffee for the day?" I asked sweetly.

"Please."

"Okay. I'll go make it and get the boys up."

I made Bella's coffee and took it to her in bed, before I went upstairs to wake up the boys. Aiden was first, since he had a tendency to roll back over and try to go back to sleep--like he was doing today.

I shook my head and laughed as I went to Eli's room to help him get ready for school and then sent him downstairs so that I could focus on Aiden. I finally got him dressed and packed up for the day and picked him up and let him rest his still sleepy head on my shoulder as I walked to the kitchen.

Bella was dressed and ready to go, wearing a tight blue short sleeved t-shirt, jeans, and a pair of flip flops. Her hair was still wet and dripping. She looked amazing.

I sat Aiden down in his seat and wrung Bella's hair out with my hand, laughing as the water dripped heavily to the floor. "Did you forget to towel your hair dry this morning?" I asked lightly.

"Nope. Just can't seem to get it dry anymore. It's like I have double the hair on my head now. Takes forever," she griped.

"Use a blow dryer to get the excess out," I suggested, leaning down and kissing her temple.

"I don't want to," she growled.

"It's your hair." I knew when to back off--and now was that time. She seemed a bit...aggravated this morning.

I ate quickly, my eyes darting over to the clock on the oven the entire time, and shifted in my chair anxiously as the time for Bella's ultrasound grew closer and closer.

By the time we'd dropped the boys off at their destinations--Eli at school and Aiden at my parents--I could hardly keep still. I tapped the steering wheel with my fingers impatiently, weaving in and out of traffic as I made my way to Bella's doctor's office.

"Would you stop already?" Bella asked, crossing her arms over her chest. "You're making me nervous."

"You're nervous?" I glanced over at her hostile pose. "Or angry with me?"

She pursed her lips and thought about it. "Irritated. Annoyed, maybe. Not angry." She blew out her breath loudly. "I'm sorry. You're practically skipping with joy and I'm scared and taking it out on you."

I stopped the SUV and looked over at her. "Why are you scared?"

"What if there's something wrong?" She shook her head. "Never mind. I'm being ridiculous."

"No argument there," I joked, leaning over to her. "The baby is fine. Don't worry so much, a ghrá."

She leaned into my touch on her face. "I love you," she sighed.

"That's why we're here. Because if you hadn't loved me back, I'd still be pining over you."

"Would you now?" she asked coyly.

"Without a doubt. You were all I could think about. You still are. Only now, I can keep you pushed to the back of my mind when I need to so that I can actually fucking work. Because I know you'll be there waiting for me to come back to you."

"And you always do," she said softly.

"And that's something that will never change." I placed a gentle kiss on her lips. "Gotta pee yet?" I held up her empty bottle of water and flashed her a crooked smile.

She laughed. "I'm floating over here."

I got out and rushed over to her side to help her out of the car and then took her hand and led her inside. She signed in and sat down and rested her head on my shoulder while we waited for her name to be called.

Time seemed to speed up, passing me by in a blur, with my excitement. Before I knew it, Bella's name was being called. I jumped out of my seat and followed Bella and the nurse back to the scales, then over to the ultrasound room. The tech prepped Bella and the machine, then squirted the jelly on her stomach as I took her hand and squeezed it, grinning like a loon.

"Excited, Dr. Cullen?" the technician asked with a smirk.

"Very."

The image appeared on the screen and I hung on to every movement that baby made--the shifts, the kicks, the slightly jerky motions. Bella started crying and I could feel the imprint of this moment in my mind, ingraining itself into my memory, becoming something I could never forget.

"Edward," she breathed, wiping her tears away. "It's our baby."

"I know," I laughed almost giddily.

I wanted to tell her of the staggering love I had for a child I'd never even met, for a life that I couldn't fully picture yet, but there were no words I had to describe it. I loved Eli and Aiden with everything I had, every part of who I was, but this was different somehow because it was a new experience. I wasn't falling in love with a child that I'd met, who was in some way destined to be mine, I was falling in love all over again with someone I'd created with my Bella.

I watched the measurements of the baby carefully with the same crazy grin stretched across my face, but a part of me was keeping track of everything, making sure everything was healthy and _normal_.

We declined knowing the sex, so the tech printed out a few pictures for us and handed them to me while she cleaned Bella's stomach off. I'd just seen the views on the screen, but I couldn't resist flipping through them again and wanted to show everyone the pictures as soon as possible.

I laughed at myself. I'd turned into one of those babbling parents everyone gets annoyed with.

Bella looked at me strangely. "You okay over there?"

"I'm fine. Better than fine, actually. Bella?" I asked, trailing my fingers over her now covered bump. "I'm going to sound totally stupid saying this now--it's a bit cliché, given our surroundings--but I love you. You've made me happier than I ever fucking imagined possible. Thank you."

Her eyes glimmered with unshed tears, but she gave me a teasing grin. "That was not stupid and cliché, especially with the f-bomb thrown in there."

I stared down at her blankly and then repeated my words in my head. "Huh. I didn't even realize I said it."

Her grin widened. "That's just awful." She paused for a beat. "And babe?"

"Hmm?"

"I love you, too."


	45. Outtake 4

**Thanks to everyone for the reviews, especially the new readers! I appreciate them! Big shout out to ebalways who I just learned rec'd this fic--very awesome, thank you!**

**Opening of Ballina with some lemony goodness, cause I was sick of all the fluff ;)**

**Honeymoon pt 1 (of 2) in EPOV is up next...**

* * *

Outtake 4--Beginnings

**Bella**

I trailed my hand over the smooth espresso-colored wood and breathed in the smells of the newly finished dining area. The slight hint of paint lingering in the air, the sharp scent of the stain on the wood, and the lemony scent of the cleaner that had made this place gleam filled my senses and brought a smile to my face.

My fingers ran over the nicks and blemishes of the ancient, hand carved bar that had been brought over from Ireland. It had seen more faces, heard more voices and stories of woe, had more liquid spilled on it, and food placed on it than I could even imagine. It's history was rich and full of emotion and now, unbelievably, I was a part of it as well.

I sat down on one of the thickly padded, brown leather bar stools and looked around. Mike had helped me make this place even better than the restaurant of my dreams. The bold woodwork and trim on the walls were accented by golden plastered walls. Fixtures were distressed and antique, sending a soft glow of light throughout the rooms and creating the ambiance I'd been going for.

I heard footsteps cross the room and the wide-planked espresso floor and turned to see Mike strolling over to me with a satisfied grin on his face.

"What'd ya think?"

Tears stung my eyes with gratitude for the amount of work this man had put into designing this place. "Ah, hell. I'm crying again," I laughed.

He squeezed my shoulder and grinned. "Babies will do that to you, Bells. Didn't the hubby explain this before he got you pregnant?"

I rolled my eyes but couldn't stop the grin from spreading on my face. "I've been through it before, you know."

"Right. I always forget that." He looked around and let out a whistle of appreciation. "Turned out pretty good, if I say so myself. That interior decorator you hired knows her shit. Worked really well with everything we decided on."

I glanced up at the Celtic-scripted sign hanging above the massive bottles of liquor behind the bar. _Ballina._ It was mine and it was finished. We opened bright and early tomorrow morning and I prayed like hell that it would be a success.

"It does," I replied contentedly. I carefully stood up and pushed the stool back under the lip of the bar. "I've got work to do. Better get started."

"I'm gonna head out. I'll see you in the morning."

"You're coming?" I asked in surprise.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world. See ya." He gave me a slight wave and turned to walk out the door.

I walked back into the kitchen and met with the few new guys Alistair had hired as line cooks. Unfortunately, they had no experience whatsoever, so I was forced to teach them some of the lingo.

"Okay, guys, what do you think of when you hear someone tell someone else to eighty-six something?" I asked, glancing around the group of men standing in front of me.

"To stop it?"

I pointed and grinned at the tall man with the dark complexion in front of me. "Good. If someone says eighty-six salmon special, that means we're out of it or we're taking it off the menu. What's your name again?"

"Brian, ma'am," he answered in a thick, southern drawl.

I flushed. "Don't call me ma'am. Bella's fine."

He looked at the bump of my stomach and then at my ring and cleared his throat. "Yes, ma-" He cut himself off at the last minute.

My lips quirked slightly with amusement. "I guess I do look like a ma'am, even though I'm only twenty-eight."

I heard Edward's deep chuckle behind me and discreetly gave him the finger, making him laugh even more.

"Okay, so where were we?"

I made sure the guys knew the more important terms and sent them home for the night. Edward seemed to have disappeared, so I started on the prep work that needed to be finished by morning to soothe my nerves. We had good reviews and excessive advertising, and judging by the way the book looked, we had almost every table reserved the entire day, but everything was still dangling by a thread. Tomorrow would determine the fate of the place I'd worked so hard on. If the kitchen staff came together seamlessly and the wait staff was polite and quick on their feet, it'd be a success; I had no doubt in the dishes I'd worked so hard on. They just had to be executed correctly now.

I pushed everything out of my mind and concentrated on the methodic feel of the knife slicing into the vegetables. The rapid, dull thud of the knife hitting the cutting board was familiar and calming. Prep work always was able to clear my hazy thoughts and get my nerves under control.

I felt Edward's presence before he touched me. The hum his hands shot through me as they grazed over my wrists, stopping my movements, caused me to sigh and lean back into his welcoming, strong body.

"It's been almost a year and that still scares the shit out of me," he murmured against my neck. "I keep waiting for your clumsy ass to cut yourself."

"I guess that's my cue to stop?" I said with a breathless giggle, repressing the shudder the vibrations of his voice sent through me.

"That would be nice since we're all alone," he said roughly, nipping at my ear.

My breathing grew heavy as his hands sinuously moved up my arms. "You want to," I swallowed hard and tried to keep from whirling around and launching myself at him, "here?"

"I think we should christen the restaurant," he said naughtily.

"Oh, shit," I moaned as a wave of desire so fierce, my legs almost turned to jelly, shot through me. "Not in here. It's up to code. Let's not violate that."

"I didn't plan to," he growled, scooping me up and carrying me out to the bar area.

"The doors are locked, right?"

He nodded stiffly, his jaw clenching. "They're locked."

He sat me down on the bar and pulled my shirt over my head and immediately moved his hands to my back so that he could unclasp my bra and strip it off my body as well. His eyes, wicked with delight, went to my breasts, and then he cupped them in his hands and brought his mouth to them.

He lapped at the skin there and sucked down on my pert nipples, sending a streak of pleasure straight through me each time.

He bit down gently on one, making my head fall back. I heard his responding laugh and looked down at him in annoyance. "Am I amusing you?"

He nodded and snaked his tongue out, swirling my nipple, and watching my reaction--which was very nearly embarrassing. "I love these," he said thickly.

"You're a boob man now, huh?"

"Fuck yes," he groaned. "Maybe I should keep you knocked up for the next ten years or so."

I rolled my eyes. "I don't think so, buddy."

I yanked his navy blue t-shirt off his head, desperate to feel his skin against mine, and ran my fingers blindly over his tattoos. I traced the lines, knowing each by memory, and elicited a husky growl from his chest.

He spun me around so that my feet were on the bar and stalked around it, his heated gaze never leaving my body, and then lithely crawled onto the bar so that he was in between my legs.

He yanked the annoying maternity jeans down my legs and threw them carelessly aside before his hand shot out to stroke me through the thin barrier of the black panties I was so close to soaking, while his mouth went back to work on my skin.

His tongue never left my body. He licked and swirled it over every inch of me he could, occasionally using his teeth to graze my most sensitive areas while his hand constantly moved in between my legs.

I was burning, slick with sweat, and almost ready to explode with what he was doing to me. I moaned and I bucked under him, trying to get him to apply more pressure, but he held me back, teasing me endlessly.

He nipped at my chin and then plunged his tongue into my mouth as he simultaneously shoved his fingers inside me. I cried out, his mouth muffling the sound, as I came in a trembling mass of limbs underneath his sleek, muscular body.

My breathing was ragged and sharp, my skin was hot and flushed, and my head swam as he ripped my panties down my legs and took his own jeans and boxers off. Before I knew it, he was poised to strike. He hesitated for a split second, staring down intensely at me, and then in a smooth, strong stroke, he was inside me, grunting and letting his head fall down as the feel of us coming together gripped us both.

He pulled back and thrust into me once before grabbing my knees and shoving them back, opening me up, and then hammering himself into me in hard, quick, successive movements. My hands went to the back of his neck instantaneously, bringing him to me so that our mouths could meet and then my nails scored his back, urging him to go faster and deeper. The pull in the pit of my stomach, the tightening of my muscles clenching around him, came on sooner than either of us were prepared for. We both screamed out as we were pitched off the edge, each of us coming blindly together.

Our hearts slammed inside our chest as he laid on top of me, being cautious so that he didn't put all his weight on the baby, while we laid in dazed satisfaction, fully sated and blissfully happy.

"I didn't hurt you any, did I?" Edward asked hoarsely.

"Nope. I'm fine."

He grunted and pushed himself up. "Good."

My vision was finally beginning to clear as I looked around the empty room. "Guess I should scrub down the bar now."

"That would be wise," he chuckled. "But I'll do it. You go do your martial arts thing with the knife back there so we can pick up the boys and go home."

He helped me down so that we could each get dressed. "Nervous about tomorrow?" he asked curiously.

"Not at the moment. I'm," I stumbled once and laughed. "Yeah, there's no way I can be nervous right now. You fucked the nerves away."

He grinned crookedly. "I'll make sure to keep this calming technique in mind. For future reference."

I shot him a playful look. "As if you don't do it enough already."

He laughed. "You know what they say. Practice makes perfect. And I think we're damned near perfect in that area."

"We are, aren't we?" I asked smugly, arching my brow. "Want to go again?"

"What a stupid question, wife of mine."

I giggled. "Where to next?"

"That desk in your office looks like it needs some attention," he answered quickly.

"You've been thinking about this, haven't you?"

"Yeah, baby. I have." He flashed me a grin. "Do I need to carry you or are you going to go on your own?"

I tapped my finger against my lips as I pretended to think about it, then let out a loud, fake yawn. "I'm awfully tired," I hedged.

He picked me up so swiftly, that I squealed. "As much as I hate the thought, you can sleep when you're dead. I've got shit to do." He looked down at me and smiled impishly. "Maybe I should call my parents and have the boys stay the night so I can stay inside you until the sun comes up."

I bit my lip and looked at him from behind my lashes. "Make the call."

He licked his lips in anticipation. "Fuck."

* * *

I scrubbed my eyes with my hand and yawned loudly. The coffee I'd drank this morning had done nothing to help my bleary eyes . I was sleepy, my body was tired, and I was a little sore, thanks to all of Edward's creativeness over the span of the night.

"You look like hell," Jessica commented as she tugged her hair into a messy knot. "Stay up all night?"

I nodded. "God only knows why I did."

"Bet the hubby had some say in why." She waggled her eyebrows suggestively at me.

"I think he had all the say," I said honestly.

"Jesus, Bella! Did you stay up all night having sex with Cullen?" she asked giddily.

"Keep your voice down," I hissed, glancing around to make sure no one had come in undetected.

She rolled her eyes. "He's a horny bastard, isn't he?"

"You have no idea," I laughed. "But, then again, I guess that makes me a horny bastard, too, because he always gets his way."

"How many times?" she asked quietly. I held up my hand with all fingers out. "Five?" she screeched. And then I put down my water and held up three more fingers. "Eight?! Holy shit! Talk about stamina!"

I blushed furiously, but made myself continue the conversation. "He's always been able to go four of five times with a few breaks in between but lately, now that I have these," I pointed to my breasts, "he's even worse than before. The last time he was like this was when we first started having sex. Couldn't get enough."

"You act like that's a bad thing."

"Nope. Not even close," I said happily. "We don't get many nights like last night anymore. With the boys keeping us busy and all those weeks I spent hovering over the toilet, our sex life took a nose dive for a while there. I guess he's making up for lost time."

"I'll say."

"What about Mike?" I asked, going through the kitchen and checking things off my list.

"Two is his max. No, I take that back. One night we had sex three times," she corrected herself.

"Sorry," I said sheepishly.

She shrugged. "Yeah, well, it's good, so I can't complain."

"I suppose not. But I'm pretty sure if the sex was bad, you'd have dumped him a long time ago."

"That's very true," she said with a laugh.

Edward came in just then, looking great as always. His hair was still a little damp from his shower and he walked in with his usual, casual gait, like there wasn't a stiff muscle in his body. His pinstriped button down and charcoal gray tie brought out the extreme copper colors in his hair and covered every inch of tattooed skin from the public. He was flawless.

Asshole.

"Ladies," he said with a cocky grin.

"Edward Cullen," Jessica said gleefully, "do I see bags under those pretty green eyes of yours? What did you do all night last night?"

"Bags? I don't have bags under my eyes. You must be seeing things because I got a full eight hours of sleep last night. Best night of my life," he replied with a wink at me.

"Liar."

"Caught me," he chuckled. He cupped my face in his hand and gave me a quick kiss in greeting. "Are you really tired this morning?" he asked quietly.

I nodded. "And sore. Everywhere."

His long fingers kneaded the muscles in my neck and shoulders. I had to stifle the groan since everyone was beginning to arrive. "I'll make it up to you, a ghrá. I'll run you a nice, warm bath and you can soak while I put Eli and Aiden to bed, then I'll give you a massage and loosen all the kinks I caused. And maybe, if you're lucky, I'll let you sleep in tomorrow morning."

"No sleeping in. I have a restaurant to run now," I said, leaning into his touch.

"It doesn't open until eleven. You can sleep in," he whispered. He placed a kiss on my nose and then stepped away from me. "Need me to do anything?"

I shook my head. "You can help Chelsea when we open. Other than that, I can't think of anything I trust you with," I joked.

"Not even salad?" he pouted. "I'm great at tearing lettuce."

"You get off easy today so quit your whining."

He ran his hand over my stomach slowly. "Take it easy today yourself, Bella. I know today's the first day and there's a lot of expectations, but please take a few minutes every couple hours to relax. I need the two of you too much to worry about you over-doing it and causing some sort of complication."

"I'll take care of myself. I promise."

He nodded and kissed me again before heading out the door.

I glanced up at the clock and noted that I had four hours until the doors opened. Jessica and I quickly put together the soups for the day and put the roasts for the dinner menu in the ovens so they could slow-cook all afternoon. Plates clattered, knives chopped, chefs shouted, pans sizzled, and before I knew it, Alistair had arrived to wish me luck and I was forced to take off my white coat and slip out into the dining area to greet the first round of people walking through the door.

I tried to push away the discomfort, but meeting and greeting total strangers was not something I was good at. I could speak to strangers as long as it was about a subject I was interested, but otherwise, it felt forced and unnatural-- in summary, I sucked at it.

Edward was much better at it than I was. Years of talking to patients--not to mention being related to Carlisle and Esme--had made his words fluid and gracious. Women gravitated towards him and surprisingly, the men they were accompanied by fell into easy conversation with him as well. I couldn't compare.

He pulled me to the side and sat me down with a glass of water. "Take a break, baby, and then head back to the kitchen. I've got this." He threw me a dazzling smile and walked away before I could argue.

I sipped on my water and watched the restaurant buzz with activity. Waiters bustled about, people chatted happily in between bites of the food I'd worked so hard to perfect, people drank at the bar--I blushed at the thought of last night and quickly looked away--and dreamy, Irish ballads played in the background.

_Holy shit, it's mine!_

I teemed with joy and nearly burst into happy tears at the thought. All the hard work and planning, stress and worry and fear had finally paid off.

"Momma!" Eli shouted, racing over to me with Aiden hot on his heels.

"Hey, guys! What are you doing here?" I asked, wrapping an arm around each of them and kissing their cheeks.

"Daideo says we should come and support you and Da. So, he and Mamó brought us here for dinner!" Eli responded.

"That's sweet of you. Thank you." I stood up and greeted Esme and Carlisle with quick kisses. "You didn't have to come as customers. You know you're welcome to the food anytime for free."

Esme waved me off. "Nonsense. We made these plans weeks ago to see what all the fuss was about. I haven't gotten a single sample of the menu, and Edward just raved about it," she chided.

I felt my cheeks heat up again. "Sorry."

Emmett, Rosalie, Jasper, and Alice came in the door and headed straight for us. "There you are!" Esme cried. "I was beginning to think you guys weren't coming!"

"Sorry we're late, Mom," Alice said with an apologetic smile.

"All of you guys planned this?" My vision grew blurry with my tears.

"Yep. Now, show us where our table is, Mama Bell. I'm starved," Emmett replied with a huge, dimpling smile.

I took menus from Chelsea and glanced at the chart. "Right this way," I said dramatically as I led them to their table.

"This place is great, Bella," Jasper complimented.

"Thanks. Um, I'll go back in the kitchen and have them send out some crab cakes for you guys. _On the house_." I emphasized the last part, knowing Carlisle would object.

"Bella, we're here as paying customers, we can pay for our appetizers."

"If you want to order anything else, you can pay for that." I squeezed Carlisle's shoulder. "You came to support us, this is the least I can do. In fact if you keep arguing, I'll tell your server the entire bill is on me."

Carlisle chuckled and shook his head. "Very well."

I headed back into the kitchen and pulled their server to the side. "Table seven is very special to me. Take good care of them, please."

I looked out the small window at the kitchen door and watched our family joke and laugh with their server. Edward pulled me against his chest and he kissed the top of my head. "I thought you were in the foyer."

"I came back here looking for you. You have a hit on your hands, Mrs. Cullen."

I grinned excitedly but shook my head at him. "No. _We_ do."

He chuckled. "I guess we do."


	46. Outtake 5

**Yeah, Summer Nights is the gift that just keeps fucking giving ;) Another outtake...**

**This one's got a couple lemons--a long one and a really short one. After all, it is their honeymoon.**

**Next outtake is pt 2 of the honeymoon in BPOV. Oh, and Aiden uses the term 'real dad' because he's five. Not because he doesn't think of Edward as his real dad. So don't go yellin' at me lol**

**Thanks for reviews and all that fun stuff. I truly appreciate them!**

* * *

Outtake 5--Ireland Pt 1

**Edward**

Catriona toddled around Esme in my parents' living room, while Bella ran through the kids' bags one last time. I crouched down and pushed her wispy brown hair away from the striking blue eyes she'd inherited from my father and was immediately accosted for a kiss.

"Da-ey! Da! Kiss!" She puckered her little pink lips for me and batted her eyelashes expertly.

Like I could refuse that shit.

I kissed her lightly and pulled back with a disgusted look on my face. "Ew! Catey kisses! Yuck!"

Her tinkling laughter made me grin widely. At two, I was completely enamored with her. She was bright and sweet and so fucking gorgeous. Looking at her was like getting a glimpse into Bella's past. Catey had her mother's hair, her petite build, the same creamy, pale skin, and when she was excited, a hint of pink colored her cheeks and I knew eventually that blush would be just as beautiful as her mother's.

"Ew! Da-ey kisses! Yucky!" she giggled back, scrunching her features up and faking a shudder.

I let my jaw drop like I was shocked. "You think my kisses are yucky?" I snatched her off the ground and peppered kisses all over her face and neck, tickling her and making her squeal in delight. "I'll show you yucky!"

I stopped when she was out of breath and glanced up at Bella, who had tears in her eyes again. "Bella," I laughed. "It's two weeks. Eli's in Seattle with Jacob and Mom and Dad will keep Aiden and Catey so busy, they won't have time to miss us. It'll be okay, baby."

"How can you sit there and laugh?" she demanded. "Aren't you going to miss our kids at _all_?"

Esme's brows shot up as our eyes met. Having Bella get off birth control so we could have another baby was making my wife a little psychotic. It didn't help that we'd been trying since Catey turned two and now, almost nine months later, we still hadn't succeeded. Add to that, the fact that Rosalie was due with twins soon, and Bella had become and emotional wreck.

"Sweetheart," I said gently, standing up and taking her in my arms. "Of course I'm going to miss them. Hell, I miss Eli already. But we've planned this trip for three years. I want to make the best of it. If you'd rather not go, I need to know. I'm not hauling you halfway around the world so that you can cry yourself to sleep every night we're gone."

"I'm not going to cry myself to sleep every night," she growled angrily.

I looked at my mother and mouthed the word 'Okay' sarcastically and was met with her silent laughter.

"So, you want to go?" I questioned.

"I want to go."

I nodded and kissed her temple. "Okay, then."

"Da?" Aiden asked me.

"Yeah, buddy?"

"Where are you and Mommy going again?"

I crouched down and took one of his cars in my hand. "Ireland, remember?"

"Oh, yeah." He glanced down. "Eli says that's where your family is from."

"That's where your family is from, too." I waited for what was next. Lately, he'd been curious about where he came from. We'd always been completely open and honest with how he was brought into our lives, especially since we knew he might have memories of his time with Felix and Jane since he was already three when the life he knew spun out of control at the hands of a mentally ill person.

"Really?" he asked, wide eyed.

Those eyes, the eyes so similar to my daughter's, would always be my weakness when it came to him. I could never deny him anything when he gave me that fucking puppy dog expression.

"Yeah," I laughed. "In more ways than one. Your biological family is from Ireland, too."

He pondered that. "How do you know?"

"Well, let's see. Your hair and your eyes. Those are common traits with the Irish. And then there's the name you had when we found you. Your last name used to be Corrigan. That's Irish."

His brows knit. "Mommy says I got my last name from you."

"You did," I told him. "Mommy's last name used to be Swan before we got married."

"So my real daddy is Irish like you?" he questioned.

"Just like me." I paused uncertainly. "You know, if you ever want to look for him, Mommy and I wouldn't be upset with you. We'd understand."

Aiden shook his head adamantly. "No, you're my da. I don't want two daddies like Eli."

He never ceased to amaze me. He was only a couple months shy of six, and already, he was so fucking smart, funny, and...stable. That was the most important thing to me. That Bella and I had brought normality to his life and had somehow bettered it.

I ruffled his hair. "Okay. Just one dad. Got it." I paused and grinned crookedly at him. "Hey, maybe you can lose that tooth before we get home. I hear the tooth fairy is very generous when you lose your first tooth."

He brightened up. "She is?"

"Yep."

He went back to playing with his cars, except this time, he had one hand inside his mouth, wiggling his loose tooth furiously.

_"LUCY! I'M HOME!" _Emmett yelled from the kitchen.

_"Quit being a dumbass, and help me up the steps!"_ Rosalie snapped at him.

The three of us all looked at each other curiously. "I thought Rose was on bed rest?" I asked in confusion to Esme.

"She is," Esme answered. "I guess she didn't listen to me and decided to come tell you two goodbye anyway."

Rosalie waddled into the room and I had to concentrate on keeping my eyes from popping out of my skull. As soon as she was in front of the couch, she heaved herself down on it and let out an exhausted breath. I hadn't seen her in a couple of weeks and her stomach was absolutely massive. She was twice the size that Bella was just before Catey was born, and Catey had been a pretty big baby to come out of Bella's tiny body.

"Why are you all looking at me like that?" Rosalie snarled.

Emmett shook his head grimly. "Baby, they're looking at you like that because you're not supposed to be out of bed. But of course, you wouldn't listen and had to come. I swear to God, I will be so damn glad when those kids get here. Trying to keep you in bed is like trying to teach a two-year-old differential equations." He glanced over to Catey. "No offense to the two-year-old here."

Rosalie sent him a withering stare. "You try having two of your huge kids inside your stomach and see how much you like it. They weigh over five pounds each already! You had to give them your size, didn't you?"

"You were the one who insisted your doctor put you on Chlomid since you're cycle was all screwed up. There would only be one five pound baby in there if you'd have listened to me!" Emmett argued back.

I needed to break up the fight before it escalated. "Do you um, think you can make it until we get back?" I asked Rosalie tentatively.

"Of course I can!" she yelled.

I resisted the urge to yell back at her and let it go.

"Stubborn woman," Emmett muttered not quite under his breath.

"You want to see stubborn? I'll show you stubborn." Rosalie grasped onto her stomach as one of the babies moved around and pulled into a sharp breath. "I'm not doing this again. I'm getting my tubes tied when they're born. You can kiss my ass if you want any more."

Emmett carefully sat down in front of her and rubbed her stomach soothingly. "You three are enough for me.

Rosalie met Emmett's gaze and instantly looked remorseful. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

"It's okay," he mumbled back.

"Let's go," I mouthed to Bella while Rosalie and Emmett were distracted on the couch.

She nodded and glanced back at them fearfully. We told everyone goodbye and promised to bring back souveniers, especially Aiden and Catriona, and started towards the airport.

Bella looked over at me, biting her lip. "What?" I asked her.

"I wasn't like that, was I?" Bella asked nervously.

"No. You weren't." _You're like that now_, I thought to myself. But I wasn't about to tell her that. "You were great, actually. Surprised the fuck out of me."

She laughed. "I guess that means you're sure you want to do it all over again?"

I gave her a strange look. "What kind of horseshit is that? You know I do. Why? You don't?"

"No, I do. It's taking so long..." She glanced away. "I'm beginning to wonder if it's not meant to be. If we're being greedy and should just be grateful for the three we have."

"I am grateful for the three we have. More than you could possibly imagine." I reached over and took her hand so that I could kiss her palm. "It'll happen. When you least expect it."

She nodded.

I was silent for a little bit before I spoke again. "Why don't we take a break. Stop actively trying." She glared at me sideways. "At least during our trip. I want to enjoy ourselves while we're gone. Who knows when we'll be able to take another vacation with no kids to beg us for chocolate milk and pop in on us when we least expect them to."

She held on to my hand a little tighter. "You're right. We shouldn't focus on cycles and whatever else while we're gone. Let's have fun. Get drunk on pints and sightsee."

"Don't forget all the sex I plan to have with you while we're there." I waggled my eyebrows suggestively.

She giggled. "Of course. It's our honeymoon. What kind of honeymoon doesn't have lots of sex?"

I felt my lips turn up into a smirk, but didn't look at her. "Not mine."

* * *

The moment my feet touched Irish soil, something inside me opened up and connected with everything around me--it always did. We'd been raised to embrace our roots, even though we were as American as apple fucking pie; just take my enlistment as an example. I'd never be able to explain it, but there was something about coming here that made me feel as if I was coming back home. The feeling was even more intense with Bella by my side. It was as if the wind whispered its welcome as it flowed around me.

Jesus, I sound like a fucking nut.

I had plans for our time in eastern Ireland. Museums, art galleries, castles, cathedrals, and pubs. But all that could wait. My dick couldn't.

I came up behind Bella and brushed her hair away from her neck so that I could nibble on the soft skin there. I heard her inhale deeply and lean back into me as I wound my hands around her waist and slipped my hands under her shirt.

I teased her with my touch, and then I cupped her breasts in my hands. My thumbs grazed over her nipples through the lacy fabric of her bra, eliciting a soft moan from her, while I ground my dick into her ass, letting her know just how much I wanted her.

Soon, her shirt was off, allowing my mouth to feast on the softness of her creamy skin while I expertly unfastened her bra and let it slide down her arms. I trailed kisses over her shoulder blades and down her spine while I worked her jeans down her legs.

She stood before me, completely naked, so that I could roam my gaze over her amazing ass. I grabbed it in my hands and leaned down to whisper in her ear. "I'm taking you here tonight."

She moaned in approval and brought her hand up to the back of my neck, simultaneously pulling me closer to her while running her fingers through my hair. I placed open-mouthed kisses over her neck again, reveling in the shiver I caused to rip through her, and moved my hands to hers.

When I first saw the canopy-style bed in our suite at the Fitzwilliam, I knew exactly how I wanted to use the posts on the footboard. I led her hands to the post on the left side and squeezed my hands over hers so that she was gripping it.

"Don't let go," I said hoarsely, "or I'll be forced to tie you up."

She looked over her shoulder and stared at me with dark, heavy eyes. "Do it."

My dick twitched with her words. "Fuck, baby. Are you serious?"

She merely nodded.

I forced myself to walk, not run, to my suitcase and pulled out the two ties I'd packed. I laid her down on the bed and then tied Bella's hands to each of the posts. I wished like hell that there was a way I could bind her feet as well.

"I don't like this padded headboard...thing," I told her as I spread her legs apart. "I don't have a way to tie your feet up. And if this is something you wind up enjoying, you better fucking believe I'm taking advantage of it while we're here."

"Edward," she groaned. "Just fuck me already."

I narrowed my eyes and shook my head. She was at my mercy, unable to escape the knots that held her hands over her head, and I was going to make her come for me repeatedly before finally burying myself inside her.

I quickly took my jeans off and let my index finger trail slowly down her slit. "God, you are so fucking gorgeous."

She bucked her hips up into my finger and I shook my head, silently admonishing her. "Move again, and I'll be forced to stop," I said dangerously.

She glared down at me. "You wouldn't."

"No?" I asked, raising my brows in a silent dare. "Try me."

Smartly, she didn't move any more, though I could tell it was hard for her not to. I lightly moved my fingers over her, enjoying the feel of her wetness seeping into my hand, and then I circled her clit, keeping my eyes locked on that beautiful face of hers. Her eyes fluttered closed and she pulled in sharp breaths through her teeth when I did something she particularly liked. I could feel her hips trying to push into my hand again, and rather than scold her again, I slowly dipped my fingers inside her and watched her cry out when my thumb skimmed over her clit.

I ran my tongue over my teeth and gave her a smug grin. I knew her body like I knew my own. I knew how to make her come instantly and how to lengthen and intensify her orgasm; I had since the first time I touched her.

Right now, I wanted nothing more than to make it last.

I kept my movements slow and unhurried, even though I was aching to fuck her. My dick throbbed with every gasp and whimper, blood pounded furiously in my veins with every tightening of her muscles and every shuddering breath she let out. Finally, unable to stand it any longer, I withdrew my hand and pushed her knees up and licked up the inside of her thigh. Her skin was silky against my tongue, her natural sweet taste tinged by the saltiness of the sweat that glistened over her skin. I made it to the juncture of her thigh and bit down with a growl, listening to her scream out with pleasure.

I looked up at her and laughed. "Did you just fucking come?"

She nodded sheepishly and bit her lip, while that beautiful crimson blush colored her cheeks.

"I'll have to commit this to memory for when we get back home."

I grinned deviously and deliberately ran my tongue up her slit in one quick stroke. I groaned and closed my eyes with how fucking glorious she tasted. She rocked her hips in time with my movements, so I put my hands on them and held her down, inhibiting her to move any more while I continued to bring her toward release again.

Her moans got louder, her hips tried to writhe under my hands, so I finally released her from my grasp. I pushed my fingers back into her and hummed against her, smiling as she exploded against my mouth. She started to relax, but I didn't stop working her. Before I knew it, she was cursing at me and coming around my fingers again.

"No more," she pleaded, fighting against the restraints. "I can't take anymore."

I sat up and grabbed a pillow and put it under her lower back to raise her hips because I could go so fucking deep like this. And even though I'd promised no more baby-making, my subconscious was still thinking about those old wives tales and supposed positions that helped direct the flow of my little Eddies.

"Too fucking bad," I said with a grin, "because I'm not finished with you."

I drove into her with a guttural groan, stilling when I was fully sheathed inside her so that I didn't come immediately. I'd waited too long and could barely hold it off.

I grunted when she rolled her hips and ground my teeth together. "Bella, damn it, stop moving."

She arched her brow impishly and rolled her hips again. "No. Serves you right."

"Ah, fuck it," I cursed with a swift thrust.

I crashed my mouth to hers, kissing her soundly, while I hammered into her, determined to make her come one last time before I finally let myself go. Over and over again I drove myself into her, losing myself in the feel of her hot body wrapped around me, murmuring unintelligible words against her mouth and her skin as I kissed every part of her I could reach.

Near breaking point, I let my teeth graze over her nipple and up to her shoulder. I bit down hard as she clenched around me, finally driving her over the edge again, and blindly coming deep inside her while she trembled underneath me.

Breathless, I untied her hands and rubbed her wrists before finally pulling out of her and rolling us so that I was no longer on top of her.

She rubbed the shoulder I bit into and winced. "God, you're such a freaking vampire."

I laughed and kissed the reddening bite marks. "I'm sorry. I got carried away. I needed you to come again though."

"I didn't have to come again. I already came three times."

I lifted my brows. "No, I don't think so." She had no idea how much I _liked_ being able to give her multiple orgasms. How fucking hot it made me to know that she was only that responsive for _me_.

She rolled her eyes and grinned. "I would complain, but that would be very stupid of me. So I'll change the subject instead. What are we doing today?"

I shrugged. "No clue. Play it by ear?"

She nodded. "I need a shower first."

I beamed at her. "I'll join you."

"Keep your hands to yourself. I need some time to recover," she warned.

I held my hands up. "I promise."

"Yeah, right," she said in a disbelieving tone.

After we got dressed, we wound up walking around Dublin. I was relearning some of the history I'd forgotten since the last time I'd been here, and showing Bella some of my favorite historical places. We explored Trinity College, Old Parliament House, Temple Bar, City Hall, Dublin Castle, Wood Quay, Christ Church Cathedral, and Four Courts in a matter of a few hours, leaving both of us tired and hungry at the end of the tour.

I took her back to the hotel to rest for a little while and call everyone back home before we headed out to dinner. I'd secretly made reservations at Dax and got the pleasure of watching Bella binge on the food in the gorgeous green dress she'd put on--the dress I kept imagining pooling at my feet when we went to bed tonight.

After dinner, we decided to do a pub crawl. I made Bella try Guinness and watched her face scrunch up when she took the first sip of the dark ale. Laughing at her faked shudder, I watched her finish it in determination before we went out on the dance floor.

I never thought the word graceful would be an apt description of my wife; she was truly the clumsiest person--other than our daughter who had a propensity to trip over nothing and sprawl out across the floor--that I'd ever known. But here on the dance floor, her body was fluid, always in sync with the beat of the music.

Dancing with Bella would always be one of my favorite things. The way we moved to the music harmoniously, the way her scent surrounded me and her eyes glimmered with excitement made me instantly hard and wanting her lean, glistening body wrapped around me. I pressed myself into her and flashed her a quick smile before whispering how fucking excruciating it was to be this close to her and unable to do a thing about it.

Her cocky smile was my undoing.

I led her away from the dance floor into a dark corner and spun her around so that she was pressed into the wall. I tugged on her earlobe with my teeth as my hand went under her dress and up her thigh.

"You know better than to tease me, a ghrá. I have no qualms fucking you here while no one's looking," I rasped into her ear.

"Shit," she hissed as my fingers brushed over her clit.

I hurriedly unfastened my black pants and released myself before I moved her panties out of the way. I lifted her hips up and brought her down on me. We moaned simultaneously, barely audible over the pumping of the music, before I pulled back and then thrust into her again.

Because of the height of her heels and the way I'd brought her dress back down on the sides, to anyone on the outside, it looked like Bella was listening to a secret I was telling her from behind. I kept my movements slow and my thrusts shallow, opting to rock her against me rather than drive into her. I used my fingers to tease her clit and make her come and I wasted no time quickly following her. It was quick and secretive and highly erotic. There was something about the thrill of being found that heightened the pleasure for me, however, I didn't _actually_ want to be caught screwing my wife in a random pub in Ireland. Talk about fucking embarrassing.

I zipped my pants back up after I straightened her clothes back out and turned her around with a smirk. "What do you say we get out of here before we get arrested?"

She rolled her eyes, but she was flushed with excitement. "You're terrible."

"Yep."

Four pubs and three pints later, Bella was drunk--hilariously so. She slurred her words, swayed as I held her against me, and stumbled over the cobblestones and cracks on the sidewalk as we made our way back the Fitzwilliam. She made fun of the goofier-looking passersby, and even though my sides were aching from laughing so hard, there were times that I had to sober and apologize for her drunken behavior.

I just hoped like hell she didn't remember any of it in the morning, because she would be so ashamed of herself if she did.

* * *

Our last day in Dublin, before driving to Cork and then the western counties, was planned to be a leisurely day. I wheedled Bella into taking a run with me in Phoenix Park, where I got to be entertained by Bella's lack of cardio strength. No sooner than we were a mile out, she was huffing and puffing, begging for me to stop and go back.

"Buck up, Bella, it's only another mile before we make the loop and come back."

"Shit," she gasped. "I can't do it. I'll wait here."

I stopped and watched her lean over, bracing her hands on her knees while she struggled for air. "I think I'm going to be sick."

I laughed. "That's what happens when you work out long enough to lose baby weight and then stop."

"Go away," she snarled.

"Nope. Come on, let's go."

"How can you do this? You're getting old. Shouldn't you be gasping like me?"

"I beg your pardon?" I asked with an arch look. "Did you really just say I'm getting old? Because, baby, you're not much younger than me."

"I'm not the one turning thirty-four in two weeks," she retorted.

"You'll be thirty-two in three months." I spread my hands out and smiled slowly. "At this point in our lives, two years does not a difference make."

She kept her head down and waved me off.

I sat her down against a tree and gave her a bottle of water. "Sit here. See if you can find any deer while I finish my run," I smirked at her.

She drank deeply and nodded. " 'Kay," she said breathlessly.

I gave her a quick kiss and jogged away. I made a wide loop around the Papal cross, Phoenix monument, and the Áras an Uachtaráin before heading back toward Magazine Fort, to where Bella was waiting for me.

"Hey," I said, inhaling deeply and wiping the sweat from my brow. "See any deer while I was gone?"

"Nope. But I want to go to the zoo while we're here," Bella responded.

I opened my mouth to protest and quickly shut it. I wanted nothing more than to go take a shower. "I'm all sweaty," I hedged instead.

She shrugged. "You look fine. Please?"

I nodded and held out my hand to her. It took us a while to get to the entrance, but it gave my body a chance to cool down before we joined the numerous families that were walking around the zoo as well.

We saw the elephants, gorillas and other primates, giraffes, and penguins, along with everything else held at the zoo. Bella seemed to particularly like the tigers, while I just stood there and watched her, simply responding with the word 'cat' when met with Bella's curious look. I didn't give a shit what type of cat it was, I still didn't like it.

Eventually, we headed back to the hotel to shower and check out, then went to tour the National Gallery before it closed. While Bella was checking out some of the impressionist paintings, I snuck out to the bathroom to get away from the boredom and quickly realized that I never did anything special for her anymore. Between my schedule at the hospital, the long hours Bella put in at the restaurant, running Eli and Aiden back and forth to school and whatever extracurricular activities they were currently enrolled in, keeping up with Catriona, and now trying to have another baby, romancing my wife had seriously been put on the back burner--not that I was all that great at it anyway. But Bella had always made me want to try. And I was going to figure something out while we were here.

I came out of the bathroom to find Bella waiting for me with her arms crossed over her chest. "What are you up to?" she asked with a knowing smile.

"Nothing," I said, feigning nonchalance.

"We've been together for four years. I know when you're up to something." But she let it go. "I'm done. Are you done?"

I nodded. "I'm done. I could care less about this shit."

She laughed once. "Then why did you want to come here?"

"Because I wanted you to experience everything?" I said uncertainly.

She shook her head and closed the distance between us. "Then let's go. I'm starving."

I wanted to smile since we ate only two hours ago, but didn't. Maybe I finally knocked her up. "You're hungry?" I questioned.

"Yeah. Weird, I know. Maybe it was all that exercise you forced me to do this morning. You know, jump starting my metabolism and whatnot."

I chuckled. "Maybe." I wound her hair around my fingers and gazed at her seriously. "I love you," I whispered. "Always."

She smiled warmly and placed her hand over the tattoo on my chest. "Forever. Now can we go eat?"

I chuckled. "You lead, I'll follow." The story of my life.

The drive to Cork was silent and ridiculously long. Bella had fallen asleep in the passenger's seat not far from Dublin and it was dark, so I'd been concentrating on the endless stretch of road the entire time. On the upside, it left me to rack my brain for something decent to do for Bella while we were in Ireland--more specifically, while we were away from our kids--but I couldn't think of anything good. At least, not good enough for me.

I got us checked in and woke Bella up, knowing that if I carried her to the room in front of all these people she'd be pissed off--not to mention mortified. After we got settled, we both collapsed into the bed, exhausted from all the walking we did in Dublin. And for the first time since Catey was born, I didn't think to make a move on Bella. I was too sleepy to think about sex.

Not using any extra energy on sex the previous night wound up to be a good decision. Bella and I both woke up rested and refreshed and ready to see the first of those castles I'd been telling her about.

We drove to the Blarney Estate and roamed the grounds. Bella loved the house in all its Victorian glory and the gardens that surrounded it. We walked over to the castle and I led Bella to the Blarney Stone.

"You should kiss it," I said casually, referring to the legend.

"No, you kiss it," she countered back, eyeing the iron railing skeptically.

"I'm already eloquent. Maybe this will help you talk to the customers at the restaurant better." I flashed her a lopsided smile, not believing in the legend at all, but wanting to see Bella hanging upside-down to kiss the stone.

"I'll kiss it if you do."

I quickly debated whether or not seeing Bella hang upside down would be rewarding enough to do it myself, even if I thought it was cheesy. "Deal."

I sat down, facing away from the stone, and used the railing to guide me down. Once I was face to face with the stone, I quickly kissed it and then brought myself back up, grinning at Bella cockily.

"Your turn," I said lightly.

Bella of course had a few issues getting down to the stone, thanks to her lack of grace. But with my help and the man that was more or less spotting everyone who came to kiss the stone, she managed to get to it. She came back up with a triumphant smile and stood up to kiss my jaw.

I led Bella to the Rock Close and watched her awe when she saw the small dolmen there. "What's this for?"

"It's a megalith tomb. A small one. If we leave now, we might have time to see some of the others before dark," I answered. "If not, we can always go tomorrow."

"Okay. But I want to go up the Wishing Steps first."

I gave her a look. "Seriously? How fucking corny do you want me to be today? I've already kissed a God damn stone."

"Very." She stuck out her lower lip and looked at me pleadingly.

"Oh, no. No, don't give me that look." The look only got worse. "Damn it, Bella," I groaned. "Fine. Hurry it up."

She beamed at me. "Thank you!"

We got to the bottom of the wishing steps and Bella glanced over at me. "Go up at the same time?"

"And wish for the same thing?" I asked her back mockingly.

She slapped my arm. "Come on. Don't be such a spoil sport."

I conceded. "I'm not. You go first. I'll come up when you reach the top." She gave me a disapproving look. "I promise. I'm not going to ruin your fun."

She raced up the steps and glanced over her shoulder when she reached the top, laughing at my annoyed expression.

Suddenly, her hair whipped around her face and the light seemed to glow around her. The air left my lungs as I stared up at her in disbelief. She looked so ethereal standing there, like a fucking goddess. I felt myself being drawn to her, my feet moved up the steps on their own--I didn't even think to make a wish as I walked up them.

I wrapped my arms around her and took her mouth with mine. When I finally ran out of air, I pulled away, smiling at how swollen her lips were from my kiss. My entire body was hard for her.

"Did you wish for sex?" she asked with narrowed eyes.

I laughed. "No, but I suddenly want it."

"Me, too. Back to the hotel?"

If I could manage to wait that long.


	47. Outtake 6

**Yeah... So... How many of you thought I forgot about the outtakes? Show of hands here people...**

**No, I didn't forget. This has been sitting in my doc list waiting for me to wrap it up and proof it (it's late and I'm tired, so if it's full of errors, please excuse me.) and I've been so damn busy, I haven't had a chance. But I'm getting ready to go to Vegas and needed a break from packing and such, so I thought I'd finally give it a go. I forgot how much I love these two...**

**Anyway, the drunken Griffin conception outtake is next and will be the final addition to this lovely fic. If you want to read the Eli/Maggie novella, you're going to have to bid on it at the Fandom Gives Back Auction this June... it's for a good cause, so go do it! I'm also doing two other auctions, if you're interested.**

**www(dot)thefandomgivesback(dot)com. Auctions aren't up yet (last time I checked) but keep watch.**

**

* * *

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Outtake 6--Honeymoon Pt 2

**Bella**

I sat in the rental car, holding on to Edward's hand, while we made our way west. Ireland was beautiful. The landscape was almost magical with the way the sheep dotted the hillsides and the charcoal gray rocks slashed through the lush green fields. Trees scattered the landscape, and cottages with billowing smoke broke up the countryside. It looked like something out of an oil painting--a piece of time captured on canvas for everyone to see. Plumes of steam rose off the lakes nestled in the valleys of the Ring of Kerry, and in my mind's eye, I could see why the ancients thought Ireland housed some of the most legendary creatures of lore.

The green of the rolling hills, the moss--even the trees--seemed to match Edward's eyes. It was surreal that I was finally here in the place that Edward loved so much--the place that was partially responsible for the wonderful man sitting next to me. I was finally exploring those ancient castles Edward had told me so much about. I was hearing the beautiful, lilted speech of the Irish with my own ears. I was learning about the culture and history that everyone in Edward's family kept close to their hearts.

And I was having some amazing sex as well.

No kids--no interruptions of any kind--seemed to have sparked that familiar insatiability in both of us again. Lately, we'd been so busy with life, we hadn't had much of a chance to explore each other's bodies like we used to. Sex had become more of something we did just before bed, with a "hurry up before one of the kids wakes up" mentality and was frequently timed to coincide with my cycle-- entirely my fault since I wanted to have another baby with Edward so badly.

While it was always fantastic, we were rediscovering the passion we held for each other--something I was not about to let go of when we got home. There were more important things than having a baby right away. Like keeping my marriage to Edward strong, because the feelings we felt for one another were so strong; everything should be a reflection of that.

I'd lost focus of that in the last couple of years.

Edward glanced over at me, and a curious expression crossed his features. "What are you thinking about?"

My cheeks tried to heat up. "Nothing, really. Just admiring the landscape," I replied vaguely.

"Baby, it only gets better. We haven't even gotten to County Clare yet. The Ring of Kerry is great, but wait until you see the Cliffs of Moher. They're fucking incredible."

I grinned at the excitement he held in his voice. He wanted me to experience all of this just as much as I wanted to.

We drove in a peaceful silence through County Limerick; Edward concentrated on the winding road while I stared out the window and admired the view and wondered about everyone back home. I'd had a great time on my honeymoon, but any time there was a lull in our daily activities, sightseeing, and exploring, I had a tendency to worry about what was happening in the States.

Eli was having a great time with Jacob in Seattle. I knew this from the enthusiastic screeches and shouts through the phone when I talked to him. I hated that he only got to see his dad for a total of four weeks each year, but he never complained; he was truly the best child any parent could hope for. It was like somehow he'd gotten the best parts of Jacob and me and was showing a little mix of Edward in there as well. It made me curious about the nature versus nurture argument. How much of our genetics were responsible for what we became, and how much was a result of our environment and upbringing?

Eli's language was especially like Edward's. I couldn't count how many times I'd had to correct his swearing when he was wrapped up in one of his video games. Edward said it was perfectly normal, that he was nine and between himself, Emmett, the television, and the kids at school, I shouldn't be so surprised to hear my son quickly becoming a typical, foul-mouthed male.

It didn't mean I had to like it, though.

Eli had gone to Forks to visit Charlie and Billy over the weekend, as well as spending time with Leah's family. I always tried not to pry, but I couldn't help but wonder if Eli truly liked Leah. He was never rude to her--he knew Edward and I would punish him severely if he was--but I always got the feeling when he came back home that he wasn't as comfortable with her as he was with Edward.

Although, now that I was thinking about it, he may not be as comfortable with his own father as he was with Edward. They'd had a connection since the first day they met four years ago.

I missed Catey's adorable face and bubbly personality. I missed the cute way she spoke, lisping at times and tripping over the pronunciations of the more complicated words in the English language. I missed Aiden's jokes and his outgoing personality. I missed the way the freckles scrunched up on his nose when he smiled, and his shy hugs--when no one was around, that is. Heaven forbid anyone catching him being a _sweet_ little boy.

I wondered idly if he'd lost that tooth yet today.

"You have got to be fucking kidding me!" Edward shouted at the dials on the dashboard.

The car rocked and jolted as the engine hissed and sputtered, and Edward fought to keep control of the car and exit onto the shoulder.

"What's the matter with it?"

"Fucking radiator!" he spat, pointing toward the smoke rising out of the cracks of the car's hood.

"Now what?"

"Where's my phone?" he asked, moving the maps and miscellaneous junk around as he searched for it.

"I stuck it in my purse. Hold on." I bent down and retrieved the phone out of the front pocket. "Here you go."

He hit a button and then glared at me. "Bella, it's fucking dead."

I gaped in shock and then quickly snapped my mouth shut. "What?" I grabbed the phone out of his hand and stared at it in disbelief. "No! I just took it off charge this morning! It can't be dead!"

"Well, it is," Edward said dryly.

He pinched the bridge of his nose in irritation, silently trying to calm himself down, before he got out of the car.

I jumped up and rushed to the front of the car to join him as he lifted the hood. "Get back!" he snapped as smoke shot out from the engine.

I took a step back with Edward until all of the smoke had rolled out and the view of the engine was clear. Edward peered at where I assumed the radiator was and then let out a curse so foul, I cringed.

He kicked the front of the car in anger--still cursing--and I decided to try to make light of the situation.

"Do you think if you talk dirty to it, that'll help?"

He gave me a strange look and then smiled a little. "Calling something a cunt at the top of your lungs tends to get some kind of reaction. So yes, I thought maybe it would help. Not my brightest moment, I'll admit."

"I hate that word." I scrunched up my nose and shook my head, like I was trying to free it from my brain.

He shrugged and bent over the car, giving me a peek of his waist. It was actually pretty hot. "It's just a word."

I rocked on my heels as he studied the engine. "Can it be fixed?"

"Do you have some water and duct tape?" He reached out and started yanking on some sort of hose. "Because the hose is cracked."

"But why was it smoking?"

"Radiator got too hot. It'll cool off, but there's not much point in driving it without some sort of lubricant to keep it cool."

"Well, shit."

He chuckled. "That's putting it mildly, a ghrá."

"You can't MacGyver it together?"

He gave me an incredulous look. "Are you serious?"

I nodded. "They didn't teach you any of this sort of thing in the military? You know, how to go into the woods with a knife and a toothpick and build an apartment complex or something?"

He stood up straight and looked at our surroundings thoughtfully. "I know. I'll rip some of the moss off that tree and use it to patch the crack. There's got to be a pond around here somewhere I can get water from..."

"That'll work?" I asked hopefully.

He flashed me a wicked grin. "No."

I slapped his bicep. "Not funny."

He laughed. "Your face was, though."

"Edward, come on!"

He was still laughing. "Bella, I was in the Navy. I can swim like a fucking fish and know everything about your basic seamanship. Going out into the woods and searching for shit to fix the car is not my thing."

I crossed my arms and huffed. "Well, since you're in such a better mood, what do you suggest we do? We have no phone and apparently no way to fix it, and you're making fun of me instead of being productive, so I'll let you be in charge."

He pursed his lips. "Don't be mad."

I scowled. "I'm not."

He ignored my petulance. "We walk. Ten wonderful miles to the nearest town unless someone comes by before then."

"What about our stuff?"

"Grab your purse and that worthless, piece of shit phone and we'll come back later for the rest."

I did as I was told and grabbed my purse and stuffed the phone down into the front pocket. I shut the door and took a few steps forward before I stopped and stared back at the car.

"You okay?" Edward asked hesitantly.

"Ten miles..." God, I'd be exhausted before we got halfway there.

I looked over at Edward and saw him grinning at me. "I'll carry you part of the way."

My eyes narrowed. "I don't think so. I'll walk, thanks."

"Okay. Get your cute butt in gear, and let's go."

I had to admit, walking with Edward was nice. He kept a light conversation going between us, and it gave me a chance to experience the faint sounds of livestock in the distance and the scents of freshly cut grass and the flowers we passed along with the view. The sun occasionally peeked out from behind the clouds, making everything bright and vibrant.

It was incredibly beautiful and serene.

After a while though, it got old. Even in the mild temperature, I was beginning to sweat. Not to mention how tired I was getting from walking up and down all these hills and how frustrating it was to have walked all this time and not have a single car pass us in either direction.

I wasn't sure how far we'd walked when I finally stopped to rest. "My legs hurt," I complained.

"Yeah," Edward responded vaguely, staring up at the sky. I glanced up and noticed the darkened clouds looked a bit ominous.

"No one has come by yet. Could this get any worse?" I asked in exasperation.

I wanted to just get to our hotel in Shannon and take a long, relaxing bath and forget the awful day we'd had.

That wasn't happening any time today.

Edward frowned. "Don't say that."

I felt a drop of rain hit the tip of my nose. "Why?"

"Because you'll-."

The sky chose that moment to open up and pour down on us.

Edward shook the rain that was beginning to gather in his hair out. "That's why."

I stood with my mouth hanging open while the rain quickly soaked through the light fleece jacket I was wearing. I spit out the rain water that had gotten into my mouth and stormed off in the direction of the town.

"This is bullshit!" I screamed at no one in particular.

Edward chuckled beside me. "It's not what I expected for my honeymoon, that's for sure."

I stopped in my tracks and spun around on him. "Aren't you pissed off at all?"

"Yes. But I'm more angry that the car broke down in the first place than I am about a little rain," he explained.

"You call this a _little_?" I screeched. "It's a fucking torrential downpour!" I spit more water out of my mouth just to prove my point.

His eyes darkened considerably. "Say that again."

I blinked. "What?"

"The part about it being a fucking torrential downpour."

I cocked my head to the side in confusion. "It's a torrential downpour," I repeated slowly.

He shook his head. "No. The fucking part." I blushed, realizing I had in fact said that. "I rarely hear anything like that come out of your mouth. It's so hot when it does. So dirty sounding."

He took my hand and brought my palm to his lips. "Oh," I said lamely.

"You look beautiful like this," he murmured.

"I look like a drowned cat," I countered.

His lips quirked in amusement, but he held off his laughter. "You look gorgeous." He brought me closer to him and pressed his body into mine. "See what you do to me by just standing there, getting all wet?"

I moaned at the low, seductive timbre his voice had taken on and the feel of his hardness against me.

"I want to fuck you," he breathed, locking his gaze on mine. "Now."

I think I whimpered, but I couldn't be sure. The electricity that surrounded us was almost unbearable. The lust we held for each other crackled in the air and buzzed in my ears.

"Where?" I managed to choke out.

He looked around the field behind me and grinned evilly when he spotted something. "Over there." He pointed behind me.

I turned to see an outcropping of rocks a little ways back. He grabbed my hand and led me to the rocks with determined strides.

As soon as we reached the back of the rocks, he pinned me against the tallest, and took me in a greedy kiss. His hands shot up under my clothes, skimming up my stomach and toward my breasts. He cupped them once, and then he dipped his hands under the lace fabric of my bra. He took my nipples in his fingers and rolled them harshly, causing me to feel a wave of desire so strong, my legs nearly gave out from under me.

He held me up with a cocky, crooked smirk and began working on removing my shoes and the lower part of my clothes once he was sure I wasn't going to fall.

I watched his face tense in concentration and eagerness, accentuated by the dark hair that flopped toward his eyes and the rivulets of water that dripped over his jaw and streamed off his chin, and I quickly realized that if he thought I even looked a fraction as good as he did, it was no wonder he wanted to take me here. Now.

He was incredible looking when he was wet. Every line and edge of him looked so feral and strong. It was all I could do to keep breathing.

Once I was naked from the waist down, Edward quickly forced his own jeans down and lifted me up so that my legs were wrapped around him. He kissed me one last time and then plunged himself into me with an echoing groan.

"Fuck, baby. You feel like heaven," he rasped against my ear.

I threw my head back against the rock and let him take me in the rain. With each stroke, he murmured something dirty in my ear. The feel of him inside me and the pictures his words formed had me screaming out when I came.

His thrusts got rougher and harder as he got closer to his own release. My back was scraping against the rock, but instead of hurting, it added to the pleasure. I locked my legs together at his back and pushed toward him each time he drove into me.

"Oh, God," I moaned softly.

"I'm going to come soon," Edward said gutturally. "I want to feel you come with me."

"Edward," I groaned. I was so close.

"That's it, baby." He smirked.

His fingers dug into my hips as he sped up our movements and rolled me against him. His climax roared through him, triggering my own. I held onto him tightly as intense pleasure rolled through me, unable to focus on anything else.

As soon as I was sure I wouldn't slip out of his grasp, I moved to nuzzle against him.

He moaned, and a smile graced his lips. "You smell so good in the rain." I pulled away from his neck so that I could smile back at him. "I love you."

"I love you."

He placed a gentle kiss on my lips and then slowly released my legs. We silently got dressed into our soaking clothes and started back toward the road.

Half way there, Edward spotted a truck in the distance. Without a word, he quickly kissed me and sprinted off to flag the person down.

I chased after him, though I was nowhere near as quick as he was, and caught up to him just as the truck came to a stop. A black haired man--who looked so much like Emmett--rolled the ancient truck's window down and gave us both a polite smile.

"What's your trouble?" he asked in a thick brogue.

"Our car broke down about six miles back, and we got caught in the rain storm. We were heading toward the nearest town for a phone and hopefully a place to stay for the night until our car is fixed."

"Don't you have a mobile?"

"It's dead," Edward explained.

The man chuckled and glanced at me. "Looks like your woman's in need of a hot bath and some dry clothes," he commented.

Edward turned to see my arms wrapped around myself in an attempt to keep myself from shivering so much. "Shit, baby." He took his coat off and put it on my shoulders. "Are you okay?"

It took me a moment to answer; my teeth were chattering loudly. "It got really cold all of the sudden."

Edward nodded his agreement.

"Get in. I'll take you back to your car to get your luggage, and then we'll head over to my house. My wife and I own a bed and breakfast on the other side of town. She'll get you straightened away."

"Oh, thank God," I cried in relief.

"Thank you," Edward told him genuinely.

He inclined his head in acknowledgement and waited for Edward and I to climb into the cab of the truck before turning around and driving in the direction of our rental car.

He reached over and turned the heat on for us. "Name's Liam."

"I'm Edward, and this is my wife Bella," Edward told him.

"Pleased to meet you."

It wasn't long before we saw the red compact sitting on the road. Liam parked directly behind it and got out to help Edward put our two suitcases into the bed of the truck.

We drove to Liam's house in silence. Liam had turned the heater on full blast, and I spent the entire way leaning forward to catch the hot air while Edward constantly ran his hand over my back soothingly. The few times I would glance up to give him a grateful smile, I would catch the amusement on his face as he stared down and watched me revel in the heat.

We finally pulled into a gravel drive. Liam shut the truck down, and I missed the blast of heat instantly. I reluctantly got out and viewed my surroundings.

Liam's house was amazing. It looked like it had started out as a stone cottage and been added on to numerous times throughout the years. It was unusual, full of conflicting lines and styles but that seemed to add to its charm. A small greenhouse full of blooming flowers and plants sat behind it. I gazed into the greenhouse and saw a thin, golden haired woman tending to some bulbs with a baby slung to her chest. She straightened up to brush the hair off her forehead and gave Liam a warm smile as she noticed him.

"That's my Rhiannon," he said proudly, "and our daughter Megan." He waved her over.

"She's beautiful," I told him honestly.

"Aye."

The woman hurried over to us and introduced herself before kissing Liam in greeting and passing the baby over to him. I nearly whimpered with longing at the sight of the little baby with black hair and wide blue eyes, grinning up at her father.

Edward cupped my neck and pulled me to him. "Hey, it's okay."

I shook my head mutely and tried not to cry.

"Do you want to go home early and see Catey?"

I shook my head again. "Are you a mind reader?" He always had this uncanny ability to know what was wrong with me.

He grinned crookedly. "No. I just know you."

Rhiannon led us into the house and up the stairs to a large bedroom on the right. "I need to bring in the extra linens, but I can do that later. Right now, I want the two of you to take a hot shower while I make you a bit of tea. I wouldn't want you to catch cold on your honeymoon."

I smiled. "Thanks."

She showed us where the towels were and then left without another word.

Edward turned on the water and grinned at me as he stripped his wet shirt over his head. "Anyone else think she's a little like Rosalie?"

I giggled. "She's exactly like Rosalie. Bossy, commanding, but somehow nice at the same time. And Liam, he looks just like-"

"Emmett." He checked the temperature of the water and extended his hand to me. "It's fucking weird."

I took it and stepped into the shower, sighing as the warm rivulets of water ran down my back. "Weird," I agreed.

He cupped my face in his hands and pushed my wet hair off my forehead. "You're really all right?"

I nodded and ran my finger along the tattoo on his chest. "I'm better now. I just miss our kids."

"So do I." His hand went down to my stomach, and he grinned playfully. "You know, I've been thinking a little. I think we made ourselves a honeymoon baby."

I laughed at him and felt a twinge of hope rush through me. But I ignored it. I'd gotten my hopes up one too many times to believe anything until I saw a plus sign. "Whatever."

His smile widened considerably. "Don't believe me?"

"Nope."

"Ah, Bella." His eyes flickered from his hand to my face. "Wanna bet?"

"No. I'll lose."

His brows shot up. "So you do believe me."

I shook my head, flinging water everywhere. "I can't. I've been disappointed too many times."

"Not this time," he murmured, dipping down to kiss me. "I'll be damned if I watch you cry again when we get back home."

His hand went from my stomach to my leg, hitching it up so that I could wrap myself around him. He pressed me into the wall and had me moaning with just the touch of his fingers grazing over my clit.

"Edward," I whispered.

"Shut up, baby, and just let me fuck you again. I'm not leaving this continent until I've made that dream of ours a reality." His face broke out into a wicked smile. "Even if I have to stay in bed with you for the rest of the trip."

"We'll miss sightseeing."

He snorted and brushed his lips over my jaw, causing it to tingle pleasantly. "Sightseeing's so fucking overrated. The only sightseeing I want to do is of you. Naked. Taking me in you. Over and over and over. In every place imaginable."

I let out an embarrassingly loud groan.

With just few words, Edward had managed to get me to toss out all those ambitious plans of Shannon and museums and druid altars and spend the rest of our time in County Claire locked up in our room at Liam and Rhiannon's house. I knew that someday I'd wish that I'd have seen those sights I was so looking forward to visiting while I was here, but I couldn't make myself _regret_ all the time we wasted just keeping the connection we had with each other.

And because that time we spent holed up in bed resulted in the most amazing and welcomed news when we got home.

Our son.


End file.
